This information came to light on Monday thanks to RTI applicant Anil Galgali. Galgali, in his RTI application, had sought information about the names, designations, educational qualifications and salaries of those in the CMO at present and those appointed during the tenure of former chief minister Prithviraj Chavan.
Eight 'outside' appointees, or officers on special duty (OSDs), at the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) cost the state government Rs 7.69 lakh in the month of December. The amount was paid to them as salaries and other lump-sum remunerations.
This information came to light on Monday thanks to RTI applicant Anil Galgali. Galgali, in his RTI application, had sought information about the names, designations, educational qualifications and salaries of those in the CMO at present and those appointed during the tenure of former chief minister Prithviraj Chavan.
While the information was not provided by the public information officer, during the first appeal, Galgali was informed that information could be provided only for December and January, since that was readily available, unlike the information he sought from November 2014 onwards. With respect to the former CM's tenure, the information stated that no outside person was present.
Galgali sought information about December till the time that information about January and other months are given. Barring two of the eight OSDs in question, each of them received a monthly salary of over Rs1 lakh, he said.
"I filed an application when I got to know that people from outside were appointed (in the CMO). Normally, a government does not take people from outside and it never used to happen before. The government should now conduct valuation of their work," Galgali said. When dna contacted chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, he replied via SMS, "Will send you comprehensive response (sic)."
The CMO's public relations section sent an elaborate press statement defending the eight appointments. "To state that this is the first time that private persons were appointed will be based on incomplete information. In the state, before the new cabinet was formed, a lot of people were in the CMO and the offices of the deputy chief minister and other ministers. Around 19 such people were appointed before this, the former deputy chief minister's advisor, Sunil Musle, for example," the statement read.
Providing a list of names, the statement added that back then, none of those appointed were government officers. Defending the current appointments, the statement said, "The people appointed have immense experience in the field they are from. Two are from the media, where they have 22 years of experience, and, similarly, there are those with experience in the establishment... All these people have made different types of contribution, all of which are important, and all have been monitored by the chief minister himself. They have looked after the implementation of various initiatives like Aaple Sarkar and the Right to Services Act... Their work during the Make In India Week was also appreciated."
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