The Hindu 27.01.2011
Mayor to approach Centre for fixed salaries to councillors
At present they are not paid salaries by the civic body
In a bid to push for the municipal councillor’s long-standing demand for
fixed salaries, Delhi Mayor Prithvi Raj Sawhney is planning to approach
the Union Home Ministry based on relevant data collected by the civic
body regarding salaries paid to councillors in other municipal
corporations of the country.
Councillors, who at present are not paid salaries by the
civic body, have been demanding a minimum salary of Rs.10,000 per
month, group insurance worth Rs.5 lakh and health facility at private
hospitals at par with other elected representatives. This facility is
now available for them at the civic body’s clinics and hospitals.
According to Delhi Mayor Prithvi Raj Sawhney, a letter
to the Union Home Minister has already been drafted and would despatched
in a few days.
“There are instances in other cities where municipal
councillors get a salary. In Mumbai, they are given Rs.10,000 per month
while it is Rs.3,000 for Ahmedabad. In Jalandhar too, there is a fixed
salary for them. But there is no such provision in Delhi,” he added.
He further stated that the demand for salaries was first
made four years ago. However, it was rejected by the Home Ministry on
the ground that no civic corporation in the country barring the one in
Mumbai pays any salary to its members.
The BJP-led MCD councillors also said that the civic
body had earlier sent a proposal to the Delhi Government too for fixing a
salary for them but the State Government did not forward the proposal
further to the Central Government. BJP councillor Jagdish Mamgain said:
“At that time the Delhi Government cited its financial crunch for its
inability to pay, but the same reason is not valid now as our salaries
would be paid from the MCD’s own fund. The Delhi Government, the
Lieutenant-Governor and the Home Ministry only have to pass the Bill in
principle.”
