The Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) may have bagged the Rajiv Gandhi Administrative Dynamism Award, but on the ground its administration is collapsing under a crippling staff crisis. The irony is bitter: while the government hails “efficient governance,” nearly 80% of crucial Class II and III posts remain vacant — the very posts that handle 70% of civic work.
Out of a sanctioned strength of 17,981, only 9,272 posts are filled, including 3,718 sanitation workers. That leaves 8,709 posts vacant — 48.43% overall. Excluding sanitation, the crisis deepens: 73.26% vacancies across Class I to IV staff. The reality — barely 20% of employees are carrying the burden of the entire civic administration.
Category-wise figures expose the rot: Class II (229 sanctioned, only 35 working) suffers 84.72% vacancies, while Class III (6,534 sanctioned, only 1,821 working) shows 72.13% posts empty. Class IV and even senior Class I are no better. Employees are forced to hold two or three additional charges, struggling to keep basic services afloat.
The most shocking shortage lies in the Fire Department. Out of 872 sanctioned posts, only 158 are filled — leaving citizens dangerously exposed in a city full of high-rises.
To add insult, hundreds of staff are set to retire later this year, threatening to paralyze operations further. Divisional Commissioner Vijayalakshmi Bidari has sought a report, but employees remain angry and frustrated, demanding urgent recruitment.
An award may decorate NMC’s shelves, but without staff, the city runs on fumes.
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