AKOLA CIVIC CORPORATION SHOWS A UNIQUE MODEL!

Akola, a small city in Maharashtra has seen a unique turnaround. No city administration can make its citizens happy, while keeping its own civic staff unhappy and deprived. One who recognizes this and strives to maintain it, can only be called an administrator with the right approach. Two lady IAS officers Nima Arora and Kavita Dwivedi have demonstrated just that, in Maharashtra’s Akola city, writes Dr. Namrata Mishra Tiwari.

Akola, in the state of Maharashtra, is a city with an estimated seven lakh population. There are a little over 250 teachers in the Akola Municipal Corporation (AMC) schools.  Gokul Harne is one among them. He also leads a teacher’s union ‘Shikshak Sena’. When contacted by India Input, he spoke in Marathi. What he recalled, can be put as, ‘I have been in the AMC service for twenty five years now. The problem persisted even before I joined. Never ever did we get our salaries on time. There was always a delay that normally ranged from three to four months. Every Diwali, we had to agitate for what was rightfully ours. But, we used to get our due salary for the Diwali month, four months later in the month of Holi. We used to launch agitation to get our salaries, every year. We used to visit the AMC headquarters with empty bags and utensils, demanding our dues. Every year. It was shameful and an

A peek into the news paper reports over the years from Maharashtra’s Akola

embarrassment but we had no alternative left.  And those were very painful times. I remember that, six years ago, the delay stretched even to eight months. We had to lead economically very stressed lives, we had to borrow from our cooperative banking society. We couldn’t buy necessary items even for our own children. The regular banks did not consider us worth a loan. It was difficult to get a residential room on rent for an AMC teacher.  Those of us, who had a family owned house, couldn’t dream of repairing their house, forget to afford to construct one on our own. Everything was bound to suffer, including the quality of education. When schools closed during summer vacations, we lied low, leading a frugal or penniless life. We had turned into eternal apologists. Life was an unending nightmare for all the employees of AMC’.

Viththal Devkate is a zonal officer with the AMC and also heads the Akola Municipal Mazdoor Union. He recalls, ‘Life was full of depressing events and thoughts to 750 sanitation workers and about 1100 employees and officers. This also affected the quality of services offered to the citizens. It impacted the overall health and environment leading to negativity all around.’

At the Money lenders’ doorstep

The financial hardships forced many of the AMC employees to turn to the money lenders, legal or illegal. The illegal money lenders trapped them in debt traps with high interest rates. Due to legal issues involved, such cases have remained largely hidden.

Sources in Akola told India Input, ‘ When the salary amounts were deposited in the bank, the news always seemed to have been leaked to the money lenders in advance, who along with their goons used to reach the bank well ahead of the employees and took away most of what was paid. There was no way to escape. The AMC employees had status much lower than the daily wage earners in the society. Some of them had to work part time at tea stalls, restaurants or as door to door milk vendors. The pensioners’ plight was much worse. Some of the old retired AMC employees could be seen begging at temples. Self esteem was the first casualty, normal life and family security were the next.’

When asked about this, Teacher Gopal Harne said, ‘the victims of the money lenders’ high handedness won’t come on record due to fear of law or the anti socials, but it is a fact that we were reduced to leading low and difficult lives. Though serving as teachers, we could not pay attention to our safety, that of our own children and their progress.’

The fiscal jurisprudence and discipline

However, in the year 2021, something positive finally began taking place, what was earlier believed to be impossible. Things began to take a U turn. It became the first year after several decades, when AMC employees didn’t have to resort to agitation. Two lady IAS officers paid attention to the basics, to correct the wrong, to change the course of derailment and their tough stand did the miracle. With the appointment of Ms. Nima Arora as the municipal commissioner for the first few months, then followed by Ms. Kavita Dwivedi on the post, the Akola Municipal Corporation took some initiatives in the right direction. It was a matter of setting priorities and taking the right steps. As a result,  thousands of employees and workers  began getting their salaries on time. The release of the sixth pay commission arrears also became a reality.

Gopal Harne says, ‘Earlier, staff salaries were not prioritized. Till 2001, the state government funded 80 per cent of the salary amount. In 2001, the city’s growth and increased tax revenue was acknowledged as the Municipal council was changed to the status of a Municipal Corporation. The state began funding 50 per cent. Though the standards were upgraded, the ground realities remain unchanged. Other project works and their payments were given priority over disbursement of salaries. But, the two lady commissioners launched the work of putting the AMC back on track. We are getting our salaries on time. The Diwali in 2021 was the first in so many decades that we didn’t have to agitate for what was duly ours.’

Better quality of civic services in Akola

A senior TV journalist from Akola remarked, ‘We have been covering their agitations since long. They used to take out marches, beat thalis and even go about begging on the streets. It was quite humiliating for the agitators. And a painful annual assignment for us journalists as humans. It was an annual ritual. However, thanks to the corrective steps initiated last year, we were happy that we didn’t have to report their pain and suffering anymore. The administration has paid heed to the grievances of the AMC employees. Now the administration is working on modernization of the pay rolls, to ensure regularity and precision. To ensure that there won’t be human errors anymore to trouble their employees, to deny these employees what is rightfully theirs.  Now, the employees will be able to get the  exact statistics and information related to their appointment, service, promotions and payments.’

Viththal Devkate remarks, ‘We can not thank  Ms. Nima Arora and Ms. Kavita Dwivedi,  enough.  Now there is no need to agitate for our union workers. The right steps by our civic commissioner has relieved us of our depression. The initiatives by Kavita Dwivedi madam has uplifted the morals of the AMC workforce resulting in positivity. The quality of service has improved. Just two examples will suffice. Our tax collectors have suddenly found time and energy to even go for tax collection drives on Saturdays and Sundays. This will obviously lead to better revenue. And our city is a lot cleaner these days. You may come and see yourself.’

When the administration has a will..

When India Input contacted Ms. Dwivedi on the turnaround by the AMC, she said, ‘Yeah, this has been made possible. See, wherever I am posted, my first few questions include those on the salaries and promotions to the employees, whether these are regularized and on time. When I came to AMC, I was stunned to know the harsh realities. The tax collections were at a low and the employees had a bad experience regarding their salaries and perks. The contractors were given works without due consideration of the bad economical status of the Corporation and then the contractors kept running from pillar to post for their dues, thus adding further to negativity. I decided to focus on these areas to ensure economic discipline which I did and could increase the tax collection many folds aggressively. I feel happy, that I could also give the employees their due. The total monthly salary amount in AMC comes to at about rupees twelve crores. I tweaked some parts of the system in a manner to ensure that half of the total monthly salary expenditure  is deposited in the bank on 17th of the earlier month, itself. Then, I formed a kitty of sorts to ensure that the salary disbursements are done every month on time. Our GST part is released to us every month on sixth, so it takes care of the rest.  See, its all about management. My experience so far has been that, if one stands by the employees and the workforce, the results are really awesome. Its same here in Akola. Now, I can put them for bigger goals and they happily follow. We all are here to serve the city better.’