Bharatiya Janata Party councillors in the East Delhi Municipal Corporation’s Standing Committee on Thursday decided to return the allowance they get for attending meetings to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal as a mark of protest against the government’s delay in disbursing funds.
The councillors get Rs.300 per meeting — of the House, the Standing Committee or other committees — they attend.
Standing Committee Chairperson Lata Gupta wrote a cheque of Rs.4,800, which is the amount she received from July to September, for Mr. Kejriwal on Thursday. The other five BJP councillors in the Standing Committee will follow suit.
“We don’t want this money as the government has not released the EDMC’s due share of funds. We have been unable to disburse social welfare pensions because of this,” said Ms. Gupta.
At a meeting of the Standing Committee, councillors demanded that the government release Rs.200 crore in the form of municipal reform funds for the past three years. The EDMC has been undergoing a financial crisis for the better part of a year now, and has not disbursed social welfare pensions for over two years.
The councillors get Rs.300 per meeting — of the House, the Standing Committee or other committees — they attend
