There are no financial constraints in paying salaries by fifth of every month, was the assurance given by former Municipal Commissioner G. Ravi Babu when employees were on an agitation path in March.
However, the situation did not improve much to the agony of employees, and the VMC is unable to pay the salaries as assured. The contract workers, DWCUA, and CMEY groups have not received salaries for the last two months, the permanent employees are being paid salaries with a delay of one month.
The Corporation finances are in the red after it began implementing projects under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission programme. It is unable to pay the salaries in time for the last two years. The employees launched indefinite strike demanding the State government to pay their salaries through treasury, 010 head of account.
Following an assurance from MP Lagadapati Rajagopal that he would prevail upon the government to pay the salaries through treasury on par with other municipalities, the employees called off their strike.
However, nothing has materialised so far. Neither, the MP nor MLAs have taken initiative thereafter, employees say.
The VMC would be able to pay the salaries only if the revenue wing succeeded in collecting the dues/taxes. The VMC higher-ups are mounting pressure on the field staff to recover the dues.
As many as 3,226 people are working to carry out sanitation works in the city. Barring 1,000 permanent, the sanitary workers are drawn from DWCUA and CMEY groups.
There are about 700 ministerial and class-IV staff; more than 400 contract and 1,150 permanent employees. The corporation has to earmark Rs.50 crore per annum for salaries.
