2,888 outsourced positions in Chandigarh MC to get ‘sanctioned’ status

Amid rising concerns over the Chandigarh municipal corporation’s (MC) financial stability, the House on Tuesday approved the conversion of 2,888 outsourced posts into “sanctioned” positions. These employees, initially hired for six-month terms, have continued working indefinitely through extensions.

The proposal will now be sent to the UT administration but the posts will be finally approved by the Centre. The number of outsourced workers in MC has surged from 3,072 in 2019-20 to 6,965 in 2024-25, an alarming 126% increase. The hiring was carried out without prior approval from the House.

However, during the House meeting, officials defended the move, arguing that the existing sanctioned posts have remained unchanged for years, despite the need for additional staff. Sanctioning these posts, they said, would provide job security and prevent mass layoffs during future audits.

Municipal commissioner Amit Kumar said that the move caps hiring, preventing further unchecked recruitment.

MC officials said the staff working beyond the sanctioned posts could be rationalised and laid off if necessary. Despite earlier protests over the MC’s reliance on contractual workers, councillors did not oppose the decision.

Their stance contradicts UT administrator Gulab Chand Kataria’s recent directives, urging workforce rationalisation and revenue generation.

AAP councillor Hardeep Singh criticised the decision, stating that while the initial hiring was unauthorised, councillors agreed to the sanctioning to avoid mass terminations.

In a parallel move, the MC has approved a manpower audit by the Indian Institute of Public Administration, New Delhi, to be conducted over six months. The audit will rationalise staffing, detect salary irregularities and identify fake employee