Digi-Thane projectI was sent on forced leave, says IT head of TMC

March 06, 2020

The Digi Thane project of Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) is under the scanner.

Last week, questions were raised in the state assembly on unlawful extension of the agency handling the project. The Information Technology head of TMC has drafted a letter to the deputy municipal commissioner, citing explanation for forced unpaid leave imposed on him for a month during the period when the irregularities occurred. The city mayor has ordered an inquiry into this.

The officer, Swaroop Kulkarni, in his letter, has claimed that no reason was given for his leave and he was not given one month’s salary during the leave period. The letter was sent on March 3, a copy of this was marked to mayor Naresh Mhaske.

In the last week of February, BJP MLA Kisan Kathore raised questions in the state assembly, claiming that the agency handling the project was given an extension eight months before the end of its tenure without floating any tender. Moreover the agency was also paid ₹22 crore without fulfilling the terms of the agreement, the MLA alleged.

It has now come to light that Kulkarni was sent on forced leave during the same period.

Kulkarni said in the letter, “I was sent on forced leave from March 26, 2019, to April 25, 2019. No reason was given for the leave. Also, I did not receive any memo or notice for my work. I was not paid a month’s salary. The forced leave has led to financial loss and affected my mental health.”

It is learnt that the extension of the contract for Digi Thane took place during the same time when the leave was imposed.

Mhaske said, “I have written a letter to additional commissioner Sameer Unhale, to answer the questions raised by Kulkarni. I have asked them to present a report to me on why he was asked to take leave without citing reason and why no salary was paid for that period.”

Unhale said that he has not received the letter and cannot comment on it.

The Digi-Thane portal had a slow start but TMC claimed that more than 1.80 lakh Thane residents have been registered on the application.

This number is still less than the five to six lakh people TMC had expected. The corporation has paid ₹22 crore to the agency executing the Digi Thane project.

Unhale said that he has not received the letter and cannot comment on it.

To Know More About Latest Thane City News Visit Thaneweb.com

Source : www.hindustantimes.com