Managing Municipal Corporation Ludhiana (MCL), the largest civic body of Punjab, has always been a challenging assignment for any administrator. Given the enviable line up of his predecessors, the task has become all the more challenging for its relatively younger Commissioner Ghanshyam Thori (32), an IAS officer of 2010 batch hailing from a small town Raisinghnagar in Sri Ganganagar district of Rajasthan.
As said seeing is believing, one cannot help take note of his modest demeanour concealing a sharp mind always in readiness to do things in a methodical way. One long deep breath, an unintentional pause before one reclines back to mutter ‘hmm, this the way!’. An MBA from Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies, Mumbai and gold medallist from Kirori Mal College, Delhi, this probably the youngest MCL Commissioner works with penchant and style of a committed professional using all the modern digital technology tools to expedite development works.
In the course of the formal interview with babushahi.com, Thori slowly opens up to talk about his performance record but with a rider, ‘please don’t hype, write as much I deserve,’ and I again was reminded of his modest self. One of the superintendents at the MCL had some days back casually remarked their new boss was ‘really the officer type’. Observation seemed justified as we coursed through the interview.
Given the realty of political scene today, no incumbent government takes risk of saddling an officer with little experience as that of Thori with a responsibility as crucial as being the head of the organisation like the MCL. After all this is the election year. And Thori is only into the sixth year of his career. So what weighed in his favour? “Sir has the ability to put tasks before him on the fast track and with accuracy. He never keeps files pending. He is a quick decision-maker. For doing work, every time is right time for him,” that superintendent rattles off.
Thori was picked up for the incumbent post on April 21,2016 after a two year stint as its Additional Commissioner. Before that he was SDM at Samrala and Payal in Ludhiana district. As the Additional Commissioner, he took initiative of creating WhatsApp groups in all the branches of the MCL. “I used to post any shortcomings in the work coming to my notice or public complaints in the related group to ensure their faster redressal by our officials,” he said.
Having worked imaginatively in preparing Ludhiana’s case for inclusion in the list of Smart Cities impressed his political and administrative masters. During his 40 days brief stint as the acting Commissioner of the MCL the Smart City proposal was submitted to the Centre. He was its nodal officer as the MCL’s Additional Commissioner. His fondness for technology propelled launch of the Facebook page to elicit maximum likes. He knew this would be factored in by the policy honchos in Delhi while finalising smart cities’ list. And it did!
Another feather on Thori’s cap? The MCL has become the first civic body in the state to get the Detailed Project Report (DPR) under AMRUT prepared and cleared in record 20 days. “I decided to take the call without waiting for the consultants as doing so would have taken up a lot of time. All I wanted was to start development works for the public benefit. Bidding process is over now and the work will be started in 25 wards of the city in a week,” he disclosed.
Aware of the greater responsibility now as the Commissioner, he has set in motion the process of turning Ludhiana into Smart City. As a first step, the ongoing massive graffiti campaign across the city for its beautification started by him with the citizens’ involvement especially the younger lot has already won accolades from the government. Other Municipals Corporations in the state have been asked to follow Ludhiana in this respect.
The MCL, under his stewardship, is taking new initiatives; undertaking development activities in rapid succession but it’s time to sign off for now.
Raju William is the Associate Editor, babushahi.com
Contact: 98551-01121, email: raju.william@gmail.com