CITCO privatisation plan begins

Meanwhile, with regard to the overall privatisation plan, according to sources, out of a total of 27 consultants who had applied in response to CITCO8217;s advertisement seeking expertise, CITCO has shortlisted five parties for consideration. These names have been forwarded to the Chandigarh Administration, which will make the final selection after deciding on whether or not to lease out its hotels.

The CITCO board8217;s recommendation was made in the context of Hotel Mountview8217;s recent expansion. The 86-room new block required staff but to avoid creating any new posts in CITCO, the board decided to privatise certain services instead. Details of the mode of privatisation are being worked out and tenders will soon be invite. CITCO had earlier sought the creation of 26 more posts in view of the expansion of its hotels, which was denied on the grounds that CITCO was already over-staffed.

Earlier, it was brought to the notice of the CITCO board that standard hotel norms required a 2:1 staff-room ratio, whereas the present staff-room ratio is 4.32:1. After commissioning the new wing, the staff-room ratio would come down to 2.31:1 in case only 26 posts were created and filled.

The board initially decided to re-deploy surplus staff and re-assess additional requirements of Mountview8217;s new wing. Later it recommended privatising certain services in the hotel8217;s new wing.

CITCO8217;s outgoing chairperson, Meenakshi Dutta Ghosh, who has also endorsed the board8217;s recommendation to privatise, told Chandigarh Newsline: 8220;The privatisation move is in line with the changing management culture in the region, where privatised maintenance services in certain organisations have proved successful and are already acceptable.8221; Increased competition from new hotels coming up in the city has necessitated improved services, explained an official, adding, that the government is not geared to provide efficient and prompt responses in a sector like tourism. Besides, the government lacks resources for investment in hotels.