After crossing swords, the Delhi Government has finally released a total sum of Rs226.66 crore to bring the East and North Municipal Corporations out of the financial mess and ensure payment of delayed salaries of safai karamcharis of both the corporations. Not too long ago, the angry sanitation workers had refused to clean the city demanding payment of their dues making Delhi roads a virtual dumping ground.
While the North MCD has been given Rs138.28 crore for salary purpose, Rs11.82 crore has been handed for other non-Plan heads bringing the total to Rs150.10 crore. The EDMC has received Rs51.96 crore for dispensation of salaries and Rs36.42 crore for other non-Plan heads, bringing the total amount to Rs76.56 crore.
The Delhi Government has provided the details of amount released by it as first instalment to North and East Delhi Municipal Corporation to ensure payment of unpaid salaries to the staff of these corporations. Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had on April 1 directed the Finance Department to immediately release funds so that the safai karamcharis could be paid their pending salaries.
The Kejriwal Government has also appealed to the Centre to rise above party considerations and immediately release the funds it owes to the State so that financial health of badly-managed corporations could be improved.
It may be recalled that Kejriwal had refused to release funds to all three municipal corporations after three Mayors met him to release the funds. The bone of contention between the Delhi Government and municipal corporation reached its peak when all elected members of the BJP from all three MCDs staged a dharna outside Vidhan Sabha to reiterate their demand for release of funds.
The three corporations have been facing a harrowing time as far their financial condition is concerned. While the NMC is facing major financial crisis, EDMC is under major debt.