Uncertainty over MCD posts worries contractual workers in Delhi

With elections to key posts in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) still incomplete after the end of the 2022-23 financial year, the civic body’s contractual employees have been left in the lurch, with their annual contracts not renewed. A senior MCD official said the renewal of around 2,990 workers is stuck

With elections to key posts in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) still incomplete after the end of the 2022-23 financial year, the civic body’s contractual employees have been left in the lurch, with their annual contracts not renewed.

The Delhi civic body has already given discontinuation orders to employees working as teachers, data entry operators, and gardeners. (Vipin Kumar/HT PHOTO)

A senior MCD official said the renewal of around 2,990 workers is stuck. “The municipal commissioner has powers to clear projects up to ₹5 crore only. Any project that costs more is taken up in the standing committee, which grants the financial approval. The first House meeting is not yet complete, and the meeting cannot be called either. We are stuck in a tough legal situation, as all these contract renewals will cost more than ₹5 crore,” the official said.

A second official said the contract renewals are also stuck due to rate variations. “Many workers were hired at different rates by the erstwhile East, North and South MCDs, and these payments can no longer be made beyond March 31,” the official said.

However, the corporation has already given discontinuation orders to employees working as teachers, data entry operators, and gardeners. HT has seen three orders issued to agencies by the central establishment department.

An order dated March 31, issued by PK Jolly, the administrative officer, says, “The competent authority has discontinued the service beyond March 31... You are directed to withdraw DEOs... no payments will be made if any work is carried out.”

Kuldeep Khatri, who heads the Shikshak Nyay Manch Nagar Nigam, a municipal teachers’ union, said the contract renewal of around 2,000 teachers also ended on March 31, and no renewal order has been issued.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) accused the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) of wanting to recruit its own workers to these contractual positions. Delhi BJP general secretary Harsh Malhotra said, “No proposal was brought for this (renewing the contracts) in the budget session so that the jobs of these employees could be terminated and their (AAP’s) party workers could be recruited.”

The AAP, in an official statement, denied the BJP’s allegations: “The BJP’s claims... are completely false and meritless.”