Housing Ministry Spends Rs 2.3 Cr Monthly on Consultants

03 Dec 2024 CW Team

Consultants and private domain experts have become indispensable for many government departments, and the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs is no exception. The ministry spends around Rs 2.3 crore every month to compensate 112 consultants engaged in various high-priority initiatives. According to the ministry's submission to the Rajya Sabha, some consultants earn between Rs 2.5 lakh to Rs 5 lakh. Among the most heavily staffed projects is the PM SVANidhi scheme, which offers subsidised loans to street vendors who were affected by the Covid-19 lockdown. Initially introduced to support these vendors, the scheme has now been expanded to include social security and welfare benefits for its beneficiaries.

In response to a query by TMC lawmaker Saket Gokhale, the housing ministry revealed that 18 consultants work on the Smart City Mission, while 16 are engaged with the PM Awas Yojna (Urban) project. A former secretary in the central government, speaking with TOI, noted that while consultants bring fresh ideas and aid in managing complex programs, there has been an over-reliance on large consultancy firms in recent years. He raised concerns that government officers now depend on these firms for even basic tasks, like preparing presentations for cabinet proposals, a trend that undermines institutional knowledge. This issue was discussed during a meeting of all secretaries chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, where officials expressed worries about whether top bureaucrats, with their experience, should still rely on consultants for support.

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