Secretariat Admin staff to work as RIs

Varikuntla Kurnool: Kurnool Municipal Corporation Commissioner P Vishwanath has issued orders granting four Secretariat Administrative staff (Admins) an opportunity to work as Revenue Inspectors (RIs), marking a first-of-its-kind initiative in the State.

The decision is being widely hailed as a progressive step, particularly by Secretariat employees, who were anguished over the absence of a clear promotion channel. The Commissioner has not only addressed staff grievances but also introduced a fresh administrative approach in a department often under scrutiny.

Speaking to The Hans India on Saturday, Commissioner Viswanath said the move comes at a critical time when the Revenue department has been facing serious challenges in tax collection.

With the current financial year nearing its end, property tax collections in Kurnool city have remained alarmingly low. Against a total demand of Rs 142.38 crore, only Rs 54.88 crore—around 38 per cent—has been collected so far, raising doubts about the feasibility of meeting targets within the remaining days. In this backdrop, the Commissioner’s decision is seen as a strategic intervention aimed at accelerating tax collections, assigning greater responsibility to younger staff, and strengthening the Corporation’s overall development efforts through improved field-level administration.

He further said the Revenue department has also been facing persistent allegations of corruption, adding another layer of significance to the decision.

Questions are being raised over how existing Revenue Inspectors will coordinate with the newly appointed Admins in their expanded roles. Although the government has repeatedly instructed urban local bodies to expedite revenue mobilisation, a visible lack of initiative at grassroots level reportedly prompted the Commissioner to bring in motivated Secretariat staff.