A variety of perks for councillors, including salaries, were announced on Monday in the South Delhi Municipal Corporation’s budget for financial year 2015-2016.
Leader of the House Radhey Shyam Sharma said in his budget speech that councillors would get Rs.10,000 as salaries, Rs.6,000 as office expenses, Rs.5,000 for computer operators and Rs.5,000 for refreshments per month.
“We have passed similar proposals in the past, but the Congress governments at the Centre and in Delhi did not clear them. Now, with the BJP in power, we will get these proposals cleared,” said Mr. Sharma.
The BJP leader added that all councillors will get medical facilities. They will also get an annual Rs.5 lakh insurance policy. Currently, the 104 councillors in the SDMC do not get salaries, only Rs.300 per meeting they attend. The budget has also made a provision for increasing the meeting allowance to Rs.1,000.
In addition to perks for councillors, Mr. Sharma said all office-bearers, including him, the Mayor, the Deputy Mayor, Standing Committee chairperson and Leader of Opposition, will get a monthly honorarium of Rs.15,000.
Leader of Opposition Farhad Suri termed the budget “a bundle of lies”. “The perks mentioned in the speech are only recommendations. They have to be approved by the Union Home Ministry and State Government,” said Mr. Suri.
The budget also makes provisions for cars, drivers and petrol allowance for chairpersons of all committees, which are over 30 in number. Mr. Sharma said these proposals would be sent to the Home Ministry for approval.
The SDMC budget for the next financial year has seen an increase in expenditure from Rs.3,633.28 crore in 2014-2015 to Rs. 3,852.15 crore. Incomes are estimated to go up from Rs.3,630.97 crore in 2014-2015 to Rs.3,938.72 crore. Among the initiatives to increase revenue is the introduction of a tax for mobile towers put up after 2009.
Mr. Sharma said funding for providing services would be Rs.40 crore in unauthorised colonies, Rs.60 crore for authorised colonies and Rs.25 crore for regularised colonies. A total of Rs.6 crore was allocated for constructing open gyms and swings in municipal parks.
