Will get 'experts' to run Delhi administration: Sisodia

New Delhi: Delhi government, which is operating at mere 40 percent of the total sanctioned strength of officers, will get experts to make up for the shortfall, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said today.

Sisodia's remarks were part of full page advertisements in today's newspapers, through which the Delhi government took on the Centre over the recent "undemocratic transfers" of nine officers out of the national capital, which it claimed was done to "paralyze" the city administration.

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has not reacted over the issue, or on his Principal Secretary Rajendra Kumar's arrest, till now. Sisodia has addressed the media twice and the advertisments also carry only his photograph.

"There are 309 sanctioned posts of DANICS officers for Delhi, but the central government has so far provided only 165 officers. Now 8 officers have been sent to Andaman, despite the fact there is no requirement of these officers there.

"There are 24 posts in Andaman, of which 23 are already filled-up and now there will be more officers than are required there. At present Delhi has mere 40 per cent of the sanctioned strength of officers," the government advertisment said.

Sisodia had earlier accused the Centre of forcing the Delhi government to make do with only 157 DANICS officers as against the sanctioned strength but today revised the number to 165.

The ads bore a message from Sisodia in which he vowed to take forward Delhi's development "despite all hurdles" being created by the central government.

"You have given us a massive mandate. If they do not provide us officers to work with, we will get experts from amongst you since there is no dearth of experts in Delhi," it said.

Among the officers transferred, the government said, one was working towards developing unauthorised colonies while another was supervising the modernisation of government schools and construction of new classrooms.

"The officer in-charge of CCTV cameras project transferred out of Delhi...The officer handling public grievances in the CMO transferred out of Delhi. In the country's history till date, personal staff of any Chief Minister has never been transferred without consulting the CM...Why the people of Delhi should suffer?" it asked.