NEW DELHI: In an indication of how consultants and private domain experts have become crucial for govt entities, only the housing and urban affairs ministry has engaged 112 such individuals for its flagship programmes. The ministry spends around Rs 2.3 crore per month to pay salaries to these outsourced manpower, with some of them taking home between Rs 2.5 lakh to Rs 5 lakh, as per details submitted to Rajya Sabha.Replying to a question from TMC MP Saket Gokhale, the ministry said 18 and 16 consultants and experts have been engaged for the Smart City Mission and PM Awas Yojna (Urban) schemes, respectively. A former secretary said that while engaging consultants brings new ideas and better management of information flow, in recent years there has been over-dependence on consultancy firms. ” Institutional knowledge of officers has lessened. Officers are depending on such firms for presentations to even cabinet proposals.”
Parliament winter session: Housing ministry pays Rs 2.3 crore per month to 112 experts | India News
