Rs 293 crore given to North Delhi municipal corporation for salaries: Satyendar Jain

NEW DELHI: Urban development minister Satyendar Jain on Friday said the Kejriwal government had given an advance of Rs 293 core to North Delhi Municipal Corporation to disburse salaries to its employees.
The fund-starved corporation is often unable to pay its employees, including sanitation workers, on time, prompting them to resort to protests.
The government released the funds on Thursday. “We hope that the north corporation pays the pending salaries as soon as possible. We have given them an advance for the next instalment, which is not due yet,” Jain said.
Delhi BJP spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor, however, claimed the amount was part of the basic tax assignment fund for the current quarter. “Delhi government has not released any specific advance amount for salary and minister Satyendra Jain’s statement in this context is misleading,” he alleged.
A case related to the release of funds by Delhi government to the corporation is being heard by Delhi high court, Kapoor said, claiming that the amount should have been released 22 days ago.
The three BJP-run municipal corporations and the AAP government have been locked in a battle over funds for years. While the AAP government claims that it has been releasing more funds to the corporations as compared to previous governments, BJP alleges Delhi government is starving the corporations of funds to hamper their work. The civic polls are due in early 2022.
Meanwhile, criticising the central government over the farmers’ issue, Jain said, “It is unfortunate and shameful that Union ministers are using bad words to refer to our food providers, our farmers.”
The minister also alleged that Delhi BJP chief Adesh Gupta, who had claimed that his residence in Patel Nagar was attacked by Aam Aadmi Party workers on Thursday, was doing a drama. “It is being rumoured that people from Aam Aadmi Party had attacked Adesh Gupta’s house. He just alleged that this attack had happened. I feel it is all just a drama,” Jain said.