Even as the salary of the councillors of Municipal Corporation of Chandigarh (MCC) has been increased by 100 per cent, they remain unhappy given the high inflation rate.
Talking to The Pioneer, the councillors said that though their salary norms are based on Punjab Municipal Act, the salary should be given to them according to the wages given to employees of Central Government.
After the recent revision in pay scales, the councillors will get Rs10,000, an increase of 100 per cent from the previous monthly honorarium of Rs5,000.
Also, the councillors would be paid Rs500 for the meetings of the House and Finance and Contract Committee (F&CC). Earlier, they were paid Rs200 to attend the meetings.
Saurabh Joshi, BJP councillor said the salary should be raised and they should be paid at par with employees of Central Government. “We do not get benefits like petrol allowance, phone allowance etc. We have direct dealing with public as they invite us for various functions. It is really difficult to survive on a salary of just Rs10,000,” he added.
The councillors also stated that MCC is not providing them the cost of stationary. According to the councillors, if they need to notify or address the public via papers, the councillors have to shell out money from their own pockets.
“It is really unfortunate that we have to spend money on pen and printouts. However, this work is not for personal purposes but official works of MCC,” said another councillor. However, Pardeep Chhabra, another councillor said, “We are satisfied with 100 per cent increment as we came in politics for social service. Making money is not our motive. When I joined MCC, we got only Rs2,000 per month honorarium. We follow the Punjab Municipal Act rule. Now, at least we will get honorarium equivalent to Punjab Municipal employees".
The councillors also demanded that an office should be set up in their wards so that they can work from their respective areas rather than spending money on traveling to main MCC office for all official works, which is not reimbursed.
Mukesh Bassi, councillor said the increment is good but not sufficient.
“But as compared to earlier monthly honorarium, it is far better now. People come to us with their problems. Though councilors of Punjab Municipal have written to their concerned administrations to increase more and if that will come in practice, hopefully we can also expect more increments in our honorarium as we are following them.”