The war of words between the BJP-led municipal corporations and the Delhi government continued on Friday with the Mayors accusing Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal of misleading people about the funds given to the civic bodies.
Delhiites woke up on Friday morning to a full-page advertisement from the government that carried an open letter from Mr. Kejriwal. The letter stated that the ongoing strike by sanitation workers in the East Delhi Municipal Corporation was being falsely seen as a result of delay in payments from the government. The Chief Minister wrote that the government had already given Rs.511 crore more to the corporations as of October compared to last. He appealed to the Mayors to agree to the demands of the striking workers.
The Mayors, however, rejected the claims. The EDMC, which is financially the weakest, has been given Rs.581.65 crore so far against the budget allocation of Rs. 1,003.73 crore for 2015-2016. Last year, the allocation was for Rs.1,144.39 crore, but the EDCM received Rs.807.38 crore.
“The government has never given the three corporations the full amount of the allocated budget. Over the years, they have cut our funds, which is why we are suffering now,” said EDMC Mayor Harshdeep Malhotra.
North Delhi Municipal Corporation Mayor Ravinder Gupta said the government had spent crores on placing advertisements when thousands of pensioners and municipal employees hadn’t got their dues.
“We are considering moving court to get our due share of funds and to challenge the government on the wrong facts they are presenting before the public,” said Mr. Gupta.
The Chief Minister had written that the Delhi Development Authority owed Rs.1,500 crore in pending property tax payments to the corporations. Since both the DDA and the corporations reported to the Centre, they should sort out the payments, said Mr. Kejriwal.
South Delhi Municipal Corporation Mayor Subhash Arya asked: “What about the over Rs.100 crore property tax dues we are owed by the government and its various departments? We ask Mr. Kejriwal to clear the due.”
SDMC Standing Committee Chairman Radhey Shyam Sharma said as per a resolution passed by the , instructions were issued for filing writ to get the pending funds from the Delhi government in the last meeting of House.
The SDMC said it has received Rs.903.42 crore of the Rs.1,453.59 crore allocated for 2015-2016 so far. Mr. Sharma said the civic body will be filing a writ petition in the High Court seeking release of funds from the government. He said the government owed Rs.979 crore under various budgetary heads and municipal reform fund.
