Expressing its inability to implement an order issued by the Delhi Government to immediately regularise sanitation workers, South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) Mayor Kamaljeet Sehrawat on Monday said this seems to be irrelevant as the Government has not provided an additional annual expenditure on implementation of such order.
Sehrawat said the Government has not made it clear of financing extra funds to meet the additional burden. "The SDMC is already facing financial crunch and in case the order is implemented, there will be an additional financial burden of Rs 145 crores per annum," she said.
She said currently a regular Safai Karamchari is being paid Rs 26,202 per month while in case of daily wager it is Rs 13,764 per month.
"The difference is Rs 12,438 for one worker while a total of 8526 daily wagers are working with the corporation. Regularising their service means an extra burden of Rs.140 crore," she added.
The Mayor also said if the Government is serious about daily wager safai karmacharies, it should release an amount of Rs 450 crore under this head to meet the additional burden for at least three years.
A senior SDMC official said the Delhi Government has been releasing financial assistance in the form of grant under plan scheme i.e. "Strengthening and mechanisation of conservancy services". During 2017-18 an amount of Rs 318 crores was released to
corporation under this scheme.
“The corporation has been requesting the Government to increase the grant but instead of increasing the grant during current financial year 2018-19, no budget provision has been made under this plan to strengthen conservancy services," he said.