Civic bodies ask AAP for funds

Reiterating a long-pending demand, the BJP leadership of the municipal corporations has again asked the AAP government to release over ₹2,000 crore, which they said had been withheld intentionally.

At a press conference here on Thursday, the Mayors, Leaders of House and chairpersons of the Standing Committee of the North, South and East Delhi municipal corporations accused the Delhi government of trying to create a financial crisis. This comes at a time when the East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC) is grappling with strikes by employees who haven’t been paid in over two months. The North Delhi Municipal Corporation, too, has not paid staff for two months, with some employees now threatening to strike. Referring to statements by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister Manish Sisodia, the BJP leaders said that it was untrue that the government had given the corporations more funds than before.

‘Given less than due’

According to Subhash Arya, the Leader of the House in the South Delhi Municipal Corporation, the government had been giving the corporations less than what was due as per the recommendations of the Third Delhi Finance Commission. From 2012-2013 till 2015-2016, a total of ₹2,198 crore were cut.

The leaders also demanded that the report of the Fourth Delhi Finance Commission, which was submitted to the government in 2013, be implemented immediately. As per the report, the corporations’ share in Delhi’s taxes or global share would increase from 4 per cent to 12.5 per cent. They also demanded that the net proceeds arising out of the Delhi Motor Vehicle Taxation Act, as well as entertainment and betting taxes, be given to the civic bodies.