The State Government declared up-gradation of the Rourkela Municipality to a Rourkela Municipal Corporation (RMC) four years back, but it is yet to fill up 50 per cent of the required posts of the RMC. Similarly, Rourkela is included as a Smart City, but its development work is not getting momentum due to staff crunch.
Replying to a question of Rourkela MLA Dilip Ray regarding the RMC vacancy position in the State Assembly on Tuesday, the Urban Development Minister said 157 posts are lying vacant as per the approved strength since November 2017. Similarly as per Odisha Municipal Corporation Act, while 108 posts are required in different positions in the RMC, the actual strength now is only 27 and rest 81 are lying vacant.
Besides, while stress is given on Swachhata all over the country but in case of the RMC only 388 sanitary staffs including sweepers are posted whereas the required strength is 979. In another reply, the Minister said that in the financial year 2014-15 the RMC has got more than Rs 131 crore from Central, State and other sources for various developmental activities, but only Rs 66.27 crore has been spent.
