Delhi: Unpaid since Nov 2021, MCD unions demand relief plan from Centre

According to corporation estimates sent to Central government last month, salary and pension arrears worth ₹8,259 crore are pending with North MCD, ₹676 crore with SDMC and ₹2,339 crore with EDMC

Even as the Bill passed in the Parliament for the unification of the three municipal corporations of Delhi await Presidential assent, groups of different employee unions under the municipal corporations have demanded an interim financial package to clear salary delays in the civic bodies, noting that some employees have not been paid in “the last four-five months”.

According to employee unions, sanitation workers have been paid on a timely basis, but the salary delay has especially impacted other sections such as teachers, nurses, doctors, premedical staff and public health officials, among others. (Picture for representation only/Vipin Kumar-HT)

AP Khan, who heads Confederation of MCD Employees Unions, an umbrella body of 27 employee unions, said the unification might take time and that the issue should not be left unresolved till then. “As far as non-payment of salaries and pensions are concerned, we are still in a state that we were five-six months ago. In East MCD alone, employees have not been paid for almost five months and pensioners haven’t received pensions for six months. There are delays in North MCD and pension delays in South MCD. Earlier, SDMC was able to provide salaries on the first day of every month but it has also started facing delays... We will soon sent a representation to the Centre demanding a financial package,” he said.

According to corporation estimates sent to Central government last month, salary and pension arrears worth ₹8,259 crore are pending with North MCD, ₹676 crore with SDMC and ₹2,339 crore with EDMC. Officials said though North MCD has the highest arreas -- which include salary, pension and PF contributions, among others -- East MCD employees are facing the most salary delay.

A senior EDMC official admitted delays in salaries but said the civic body was also facing delays in receiving its funds. “Even if we get our share of taxes on time ,we can manage the salary crisis but the last year’s allocations had seen large-scale cuts in revised estimates as revenue collection was affected due to the pandemic. The salaries are pending for months of December, January, February, March, and soon there will be addition for April too. Even after unification, the devolution funds can only come via state government. We do not know yet how the Centre plans to fill the gap,” said the official.

According to employee unions, sanitation workers have been paid on a timely basis, but the salary delay has especially impacted other sections such as teachers, nurses, doctors, premedical staff and public health officials, among others.

Kuldeep Khatri, who heads Nagar Nigam Shikshak Nyay Manch - a municipal primary school teachers union, said that the teachers in east Delhi have not been paid for five months. “How can we run our homes when we are not paid salaries for almost half a year. Many need to pay EMIs (equated monthly instalments), pay school fee of their wards and repay loans. We had carried out a dharna in February after which the salary for a month was released,” he added.

Khatri said that while political speeches are being made about unification, no relief has been provided on ground. “Almost every teacher in North MCD is owed arrears worth ₹7 lakh in terms of dearness allowances, pay commission related delays and other benefits,” he said.

EDMC mayor Shyam Sunder Aggarwal said the corporation is working to sort out the issues. “This is why unification is being carried out. We hope that the salary delay crisis will soon be history. Delhi government does not provide us our rightful share of taxes. Even now the first quarter allocation of basic tax assignment has not been released. Either the Centre will give us funds directly or make such provisions that the Delhi government is forced to make these payments,” he added.

A senior North MCD official said that a majority of employees have been paid their salary for the month of February though payments from March is pending. “The February salary had deductions of annual income taxes in it so the amount was already low. Our situation is not as bad as EDMC,” the official remarked.

While Delhi government spokespersons did not respond to requests seeking comments, the government has earlier said the corporations have been provided their rightful share of funds.