Rural Development Department keen to rationalise pay for its consultants.

Indian Express: Shamlal Yadav: New Delhi: Sunday, November 03, 2024.

Over 250 hired from external agencies including the Big 4.

THE DEPARTMENT of Rural Development, which has taken over 250 consultants on contract, has set up a committee to suggest “measures for rationalisation” of emoluments being paid to them. The committee, chaired by Additional Secretary T K Anil Kumar is expected to submit its report in November, sources told The Indian Express.

It will “examine the present emoluments being paid to consultants in different program divisions and suggest measures for rationalisation of such emoluments for the department”, the sources said.

The committee was set up following a report submitted by the Indian Institute of Public Administration (IIPA) last year to the Department of Rural Development. An academician involved in the IIPA said, “We have suggested following certain SOPs (Standard Operating Procedure) while hiring consultants and that the hiring should be in compliance with the GFR (General Financial Rule).”

T K Anil Kumar did not respond to queries sent by The Indian Express. Sources said the committee under him comprises eight other members all are officials of the department or organisations under it.

The 250-plus consultants contracted by the department work under its various schemes such as MNREGA, Mission Antyodaya, National Social Assistance Program, National Rural Infrastructure Development Agency, Rural Housing, National Rural Livelihood Mission, Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana, and others. Many of these 250-plus come from external agencies including the Big Four consulting firms.