Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation Grapples with Severe Staffing Shortage
The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) is confronting a significant human resource crisis, with a staggering 11,687 positions currently vacant across various employee grades. This revelation comes from official data shared by the civic body in response to a query raised by opposition leader Shehzad Khan Pathan.
Detailed Breakdown of Vacancies Across Employee Classes
Against a total sanctioned strength of 18,992 positions, the AMC is operating with a substantial deficit. The vacancies are distributed as follows:
- Class 1: Out of 88 approved positions, 49 are filled, leaving 39 vacancies.
- Class 2: From 633 sanctioned posts, 346 are occupied, resulting in 287 unfilled positions.
- Class 3: This category shows the highest number of vacancies. With 7,909 approved posts, only 3,711 are filled, leaving a massive gap of 4,198 positions.
- Class 4: The situation is most acute here. Of 10,362 sanctioned posts, merely 3,199 are filled, creating a shortage of 7,163 positions.
Peon Positions and Promotion Stagnation
In a concerning development, the data also highlights issues with peon positions. While 498 peon posts are sanctioned, 366 remain vacant. Furthermore, sources indicate that despite existing promotion provisions, not a single peon has been promoted within the AMC over the past five years, pointing to potential systemic issues in career advancement for lower-grade employees.
Rising Salary Expenditure Amid Staffing Crisis
Concurrently, the AMC has disclosed substantial increases in its salary expenditures over recent years, even as staffing levels remain critically low:
- In the 2024-25 fiscal year, the corporation paid a net salary of Rs 1,089.57 crore.
- This marks a significant rise from the Rs 979.79 crore paid in 2023-24.
- For the 2025-26 fiscal year, up to January, Rs 1,032.40 crore has already been disbursed in net salaries.
- Perhaps most strikingly, the net salary paid in 2015-16 was Rs 462.73 crore, meaning the expenditure has more than doubled by 2024-25.
This combination of escalating salary costs and a vast number of unfilled positions raises serious questions about operational efficiency, service delivery, and financial management within one of Gujarat's largest municipal bodies. The data underscores a pressing need for strategic recruitment and human resource planning to address the widening gap between sanctioned and actual staff strength.
