Three Delhi Mayors protesting non-availability of funds call off stir after 'assurance' by AAP

NEW DELHI: The three mayors of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-ruled Municipal Corporations in the national capital called off their sit-in outside Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s residence after a meeting with PWD Minister Satyendar Jain on Monday evening.

Ending their protest, North Delhi Mayor Jai Prakash said, “We were sitting outside the CM residence since 11.00 am, but Kejriwal didn’t bother to listen to our grievances. Instead Jain asked us to meet him at Delhi secretariat. However, we continued our agitation over non-payments of dues. In the evening, Jain came and spoke with us to discuss possible solutions to the problem. He has given assurance to clear our dues within 10 days,” said he. 

​Prakash said that due to the financial crisis in the municipal bodies especially in the North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NMC), employees are struggling to meet the ends.

“Our doctors have been on hunger strike for days as we are not able to pay up their salaries. The Delhi government has been spending crores of rupees on publicity and advertisements but not releasing money to the corporations. We had gone to the CM seeking immediate transfer of money. However, he didn’t hear us out,” Prakash. 

After the meeting, however, Jain said that the Delhi government has an outstanding loan of Rs 6,000 crore on Municipal Corporations of Delhi (MCDs) and if the government owes the three municipal bodies, it would repay.

“The Centre is supposed to give Rs 488 per individual as a grant to the MCDs but it hasn’t paid this money for years. Delhi government also has an outstanding loan of Rs 6, 000 crore on MCDs and if there is any due on us we will also repay them. I have requested them (mayors) to urge the central government to pay this money.”  

“But they have not shown any interest in this suggestion which clearly shows that the BJP ruled MCDs just wants to politicise the issue but has no goodwill to find out a solution,” said the minister. 

He further alleged that financial crisis in the corporations exist because of corruption. Five resident doctors of NMC run Hindu Rao started their indefinite hunger strike on Friday. Earlier in the day, AAP senior leader and MCD in-charge Durgesh Pathak claimed that the Centre is supposed to pay Rs 12,000 crore to the municipal bodies. 

“The central governmnent should immediately release Rs 12,000 crore to the MCsD. Delhi CM and finance minister have been writing to the Centre asking it to release the fund but since 2011, it has not paid yet to corporations,” he said.