New Delhi: On Saturday, the Delhi government declared a grant of ? 1,051 crore for the three municipal corporations to pay salaries of healthcare workers and other employees in the midst of the second coronavirus wave.
Manish Sisodia, Deputy Chief Minister, in a virtual announcement, said in spite of the restrained conditions due to the lockdown, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal took this decision as those people who are helping fight the pandemic should get their salaries.
The Aam Aadmi Party leader alleged that doctors and other employees of the civic bodies are not getting their salaries due to “mismanagement and corruption” in the municipal corporations.
The South Delhi Municipal Corporation, East Delhi Municipal Corporation and North Delhi Municipal Corporation are all BJP-led civic bodies.
“The Delhi government has released ? 1,051 crore to the three municipal corporations in total so that they can pay salaries of their employees, amid this pandemic.
“The east corporation is to get ? 367 crore, north corporation about ? 432 crore and south corporation ? 251 crore,” he said.
The minister asserted that civic authorities must ensure this fund was used for paying salaries of employees only and not “diverted for other usage”.
In the meantime, North Delhi Mayor Jai Prakash declared that the grant by the Delhi government was issued after the three corporations “exerted pressure” on it.
The three civic bodies have been writing multiple letters to the chief minister and the Lt governor seeking the release of funds, he said.
On Friday, Delhi had reported 8,506 coronavirus cases, the daily count dipping to below the 10,000-mark again after a month, with medical experts blaming the lockdown as the main factor behind the dip amid the second wave.
Mr Kejriwal said that the number of cases recorded in the last 24 hours has further dipped to about 6,500 with a positivity rate of 11 per cent.
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