Audit findings: 46 ghost employees in Ludhiana MC, probe ordered
As per the findings in the audit, 45 ghost employees are within the health branch of the civic body, while there is one whose mention is nowhere in the municipal corporation records
Municipal corporation commissioner Sandeep Rishi has ordered a probe into the findings of the ongoing audit by the principal accountant general, revealing 46 ghost employees within the civic body.
As per the findings in the audit, 45 ghost employees are within the health branch of the civic body, while there is one whose mention is nowhere in the municipal corporation records.
Based on the revelations, the MC commissioner formed a four-member committee, headed by additional commissioner Paramdeep Singh, to conduct a thorough probe into the matter.
“I have formed the committee, and this matter will be investigated properly as
all the persons involved in this will not be spared,” Rishi said.
The audit, which is a routine examination of MC records, found that funds were transferred to the accounts of as many as 46 individuals, raising suspicions about their existence as legitimate employees of the civic body.
Officials of the audit team have asked the civic body to provide service books, step up order, recast of pay order, ECR registers and statement.
“We have started investigating the matter as names of around 46 employees are under the scanner, and records are still not with MC. We are still verifying, and I have also asked the accounts department how much funds have been transferred to these accounts in the past,” additional commissioner Paramdeep Singh, who is heading the committee, said.
This isn’t the first time the MC has faced allegations of ghost employees. In 2018, a similar issue involving around 70 alleged ghost employees came to light, prompting demands for a vigilance inquiry. However, the Municipal Employees Sangharsh Committee opposed the inquiry, and the matter did not progress further.
The recent revelation of alleged ghost employees has raised concerns about transparency and human resource management within the municipal corporation. The committee’s investigation aims to establish the validity of these appointments and address any discrepancies found in the records.
According to an MC official, these names of ghost employees are majorly on the post of safai karamchari or at junior level position. A senior MC official claimed that a case will be registered against the individuals involved in this scam and strict action will be taken against them.
