Delhi Government Releases Salaries of Sanitation Workers, Arvind Kejriwal Blames Centre for Delay

NEW DELHI:  After 10 days of protest, Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal announced the release of salaries of Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) workers for the month of April, but with a caution that “this is it”.

“I hope that even when Prime Minister gave funds to Mongolia, he will also give your salaries when you approach him,” said Mr Kejriwal to the gathered municipal corporation workers at Ramlila Maidan on Monday evening.

The ongoing tussle between the BJP led MCD and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) led Delhi state government has left the capital stinking, garbage has been spilling on to the roads, as sanitation staff went on strike for the second time in the last two months, to protest non-payment of salaries.
“2 months of our salary is due, we clean the entire city but how do we run our houses without salary” a sanitation worker told NDTV.

“In this battle between BJP and AAP we are suffering…I haven’t been able to pay our kids fee because of non-payment of salaries” said another worker to NDTV.

The condition is desperate but authorities are caught in blame game, BJP led MCD’s which are dealing with a serious monetary crunch have blamed the state government for politicising the matter and not clearing their dues.

Harsh Malhotra, Mayor East MCD said, “Delhi government is constitutionally bound to fund the MCD’s… But Kejriwal is withholding funds and playing political games.”

East MCD claims that AAP government has not released Rs. 164 crore for the financial quarter starting April this year, the monthly salary of sanitation workers amounts to Rs. 40 crore per month, thus the non-payment.

Post the trifurcation the MCD’s have not been profit making bodies. Apart from South MCD which manages to generate revenue, both East and North have not been able to fill the income-expenditure deficit.