The Punjab local bodies department has put the Mohali municipal corporation’s proposal for up to 75% hike in the mayor and councillors’ constituency allowance on the back burner.
The department has approved all other agenda items passed in the House meeting on August 26 this year, but has not given its nod to the agenda pertaining to the hike, stating that it is a policy matter concerning all civic bodies.
Constituency allowance is given to councillors in lieu of the amount spent by them on telephone and mobile bills, fuel and hospitality.
The House had hiked the monthly allowance of the mayor from ₹30,000 to ₹48,000. For the senior deputy mayor and deputy mayor, the hike was from ₹24,000 to ₹40,000 and from ₹18,750 to ₹32,750, respectively. Councillors were to be paid ₹25,000 instead of ₹15,000.
The mayor and his deputies are also paid an honorarium of ₹15,000 each, while councillors get ₹2,000 each. It is a voluntary payment given to a councillor for services delivered.
Harjeet Singh, superintendent, local bodies department, who is dealing with the matter, said: “We cannot allow the hike for Mohali alone, as it is a policy matter. If it is taken up, it will be for entire Punjab.”
While MC commissioner Kamal Kumar Garg said that he has not received any communication in this regard from the local bodies department, mayor Amarjit Singh Sidhu said he will take up the matter with the authority concerned and push for the hike.
{{/usCountry}}While MC commissioner Kamal Kumar Garg said that he has not received any communication in this regard from the local bodies department, mayor Amarjit Singh Sidhu said he will take up the matter with the authority concerned and push for the hike.
{{/usCountry}}“The decision was taken in the wake of price rise. It was a long-pending demand of councillors,” said the mayor, adding that the allowance had not been hiked since the MC was formed in 2010.