Days after getting a bailout package from the city government to pay salaries to its protesting employees, the North Delhi Municipal Corporation has passed a proposal on Thursday seeking Rs 90,000 salary a month for its councillors while finalising budget for 2016-17 financial year.
It also proposes an increase in the ‘meeting allowance’ of councillors from Rs 300 to Rs 1,000, up to Rs 10,000 a month. At present, the councillors do not get a salary.
Even the East Corporation had proposed Rs 45,000 salary a month to its councillors on Wednesday.
Leader of House of North Corporation Yogender Chandolia also made a case for the re-unification of the three municipalities to extricate them from their financial crises.
“The Unified MCD was economically stable, but it was divided for political reasons which is the main reason for the current financial crisis,” said Chandolia.
“The North Corporation came into being with a loss of Rs 1,320 crore in 2012 and the then Delhi government deducted Rs 440 crore as an interest payment. The Delhi government owes a total of Rs 633 crore to the North Corporation. This amount should be released immediately,” he added.
The 2016-17 budget will focus on sanitation with the municipality planning to install 2,000 steel dustbins and 5,000 plastic dustbins under its areas.
“Some 20 toilet complexes would be developed under Swachh Bharat Mission, including 76 modern toilets. Also, 51 women toilet complexes will be developed in the next financial year,” he added.
The corporation will also set up 10 mobile toilets under its limits. Some 38 jetting machines to be procured for cleaning urinals in the next fiscal.
A three-storey underground parking facility at Gandhi Maidan is also in the pipeline, and Rs 69 crore has been earmarked for the project. New parking sites will be developed at Pitampura, Shalimar Bagh, Shastri Park, Bank Street and Karampura at a cost of Rs 330.16 crore, budgetary proposals said.
The corporation has also decided to regularise houses constructed up to 100 yards.
Standing Committee Chairman Mohan Bhardwaj proposed putting up advertisements in parks as well as at Bhalsawa landfill site to augment the revenue of the North Corporation.
The Leader of House slammed the city government for putting sanctions on the East and North corporations in lieu of funds. “The North Corporation will not abide by the anti-Dalit and anti-poor conditions of the Delhi government in lieu of funds. No contractual safai karamchari and beldar will be removed as against the order of the Delhi government. Neither new recruitment or rebate and exemption in property tax will be stopped,” he added.