With salary delay checked but arrears not wiped out, blame game continues

Strikes by the staff for non-payment of salaries and other dues has often caused huge embarrassment to the erstwhile corporations which I have now been reunified. No wonder, prominent BJP leaders and former councillors are making efforts to ensure that in the run-up to the civic elections, such protests-which can become a potent issue at the hustings are avoided.

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Since the reunification, MCD has been making consistent efforts to release salaries on time or without much delay.

However, non-payment of arrears to employees in the erstwhile north and east corporations, arrears of the Seventh Pay Commission and non-regularisation of contractual staff continue to cause concern.

These issues have not just led to two strikes in five months but also affected the quality of services being delivered by the staff. However, unlike in the past, these strikes didn't last for long due to frequent interventions by officials and former councillors.

As of now, MCD needs a total of Rs 8,500 crore to pay salary arrears and dues as per the Seventh Pay Commission to retired employees, gratuity, retirement benefit, provident fund etc. Of this, a payment of Rs 629 crore is pending for the past three months for salaries and pension, said officials.

MCD officials claimed they are making all possible efforts to create posts and regularize contractual workers. "But unless a grant is given, ending the financial crisis within months is impossible. While we have curtailed all avoidable expenses and restricted expenditure on unwanted projects, there is no alternative to a grant. Even during trifurcation, the state government had assured it would give major financial support to the erstwhile east corporation but nothing happened," said the official.