CDA becomes a boon for deputationists

Employees on deputation reap several benefits including plots in developed sector

ISLAMABAD:

Though the prime minister has unveiled austerity measures to cut the government’s expenditures, it seems, several government departments and autonomous bodies may escape the economic tight-belting.

The Capital Development Authority (CDA) has become a boon for deputationist employees, as they reap several benefits including getting plots in just one year after joining the civic agency. Sources in the CDA said that senior officers borrowed on deputation were previously allotted a plot in a developed sector after serving in the civic agency for two consecutive years.

However, the policy has been changed to make CDA more attractive for the deputationists who now get residential plots just in one year. Surprisingly, CDA regular officials in grade-1 to grade16 get residential plots after 10 years of service in the civic agency.

“The CDA has become an extraordinary organisation and sources of attraction for officers coming on deputation due to the residential plots and other perks and privileges,” said a senior officer on the condition of anonymity.

He said that the prime minister’s austerity measures will be blown in the civic agency which, he said, turned into a white elephant with senior officers allegedly indulging in corruption and misusing power and authority. According to sources, currently, 35 deputationist officers are holding important posts in the CDA.

The sources claimed that most of the officers appointed on deputation in CDA are those who are blued-eyed of either the CDA chairman or heads of various directorates and departments, who themselves serve as deputationists.

Sources told The Express Tribune officers posted on deputation not only receives a double salary, as compared to their parent departments but also get around Rs80,000 per month in lieu of official conveyance under the monetisation policy. The sources said that these deputationist officers, besides availing the monatisation amount, also enjoy government vehicles along with petrol up to 3,000 litres per officer.

The sources said that tough CDA Noor-ul-Amin Mengal has ordered to affix special stickers on all vehicles of the civic agency to discourage the practice of personal use of official vehicles, it will have no bearing on the overall misuse of authority, funds and other mismanagement.

The sources said that the process of identification of more than 1000 official vehicles in all 48 directorates of the CDA has also been completed. The source said that a contract has also been given to a firm to prepare CDA's special logos to be fixed on official vehicles within the next week.

The Express Tribune attempted to contact the CDA chairman to get his version on the issue but he could not be reached. However, a senior officer at the CDA confirmed that about 35 officers on deputation in CDA have been using official vehicles and also enjoy the monatisation aount and other perks and privileges.