Ludhiana mayor blames govt for delay in release of salaries to MC staffers

Ludhiana mayor Balkar Sandhu has blamed the Punjab government for delay in payment of salaries to employees of the municipal corporation (MC) as the state has failed to release over ₹100 crore as GST share to the civic body

Mayor Balkar Sandhu has blamed the Punjab government for delay in payment of salaries to employees of the municipal corporation (MC) as the state has failed to release over ₹100 crore as GST share to the civic body.

Ludhiana mayor said that the state government was supposed to transfer ₹154 crore to the MC as GST share for the last three months, but only ₹51 crore has been transferred so far. (HT)

MC is yet to pay monthly salaries to the tune of around ₹35 crore to its staffers and it hasn’t disbursed salaries for May so far. While AAP is ruling the state, Congress enjoys a majority in MC house.

With employees mounting pressure on the civic body, Sandhu said that the state government was supposed to transfer ₹154 crore to the MC as GST share for the last three months, but only ₹51 crore has been transferred so far.

“ We are focusing on recovery of dues as the state has failed to transfer the pending GST share. Salaries to the tune of around ₹6 crore have been paid to the Class-4 employees and efforts are being made to release the salaries of remaining employees in the next few days,” said Sandhu, while adding that AAP MLAs from the city take up the matter with the state government.

“ AAP MLAs are inaugurating different projects in the city, which is not an issue, as development is important and MC has allocated separate funds for them. But, the legislators should also keep in mind the financial condition of the MC and take up the matter of GST share with the state government so that the salaries can be released in time,” said Sandhu.