Sisodia writes to MCDs, asks them to clear teacher salaries at earliest

Sisodia’s letter comes a day after Delhi high court criticised the Centre, the Delhi government, and the MCDs for their failure to resolve dispute over disbursal of funds leading to pending salaries of current and former employees of the three civic bodies.

Following months of protests by teachers of municipal corporation-run schools, deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia on Friday wrote to mayors of all three civic bodies of Delhi, asking them to immediately release the salaries keeping the Covid-19 situation and the festive season in mind.

In his Friday letter, Sisodia said that in addition to paying MCD their due share of taxes, the Delhi government has also paid a large sum as loans and arrears to the Delhi Jal Board. (Sanjeev Verma/HT PHOTO)

“The salaries to all MCD school teachers be paid immediately, and in any case before Diwali to enable their families have some meaningful festivities,” wrote the education minister.

Sisodia’s letter comes a day after Delhi high court criticised the Centre, the Delhi government, and the MCDs for their failure to resolve dispute over disbursal of funds leading to pending salaries of current and former employees of the three civic bodies, particularly the North Delhi Municipal Corporation.

The court had on Thursday said that unpaid workers had faced the “real pinch” and asked the civic bodies to make an attempt to release arrears as the festival of Diwali is round the corner.

In his Friday letter, Sisodia said that in addition to paying MCD their due share of taxes, the Delhi government has also paid a large sum as loans and arrears to the Delhi Jal Board.

He wrote that the Centre had “not paid its due amount to MCDs to the tune of Rs 12,000 crore.”

The deputy CM said he was referring to the funds released by the Central government to all municipal corporations of the country. Sisodia asked the mayors to rise above “petty politics” and focus on the “corruption and financial mismanagement” in MCDs and demand “the unpaid amount of Rs 12,000 crore from the Central government.”

Responding to the allegations of financial mismanagement, Nirmal Jain, mayor of East Delhi Municipal Corporation said, “The letter by the deputy CM seems to be an effort to mislead the public from the fact that the Delhi government has to pay dues to the east corporation. We have stated a number of times that the AAP government has to pay EDMC Rs 1200 crore in first two quarters of the financial year, but so far it had given only Rs 301 crore. With respect to allegations pertaining to non-payment of salaries of teachers, I want to clarify that teacher salaries till September 2020 has already been cleared and October salary will be disbursed in next two-three days.As far as allegations of not paying DJB dues are concerned, I want to say that figures are by DJB based on highest rate of slabs and this requires reconciliation.”

Jai Prakash, mayor of North Delhi Municipal Corporation, too said the letter by Sisodia shows the frustration of the deputy chief minister. “They owe Rs 13,500 crore to the corporations, out of which Rs 6,550 crore has to be paid to North Delhi Municipal Corporation as per the 3rd,4th and 5th DFC recommendations . He must explain when they are releasing our due amount ,” he said.

South corporation Anamika Mithilesh said that Delhi government was doing politics based on lies and false figures.

“On one hand they are not giving dues of Rs 13000 to civic bodies on the other they are making false allegations. The government deliberately wants to cripple us by starving us of funds,” she said.

Ramniwas Solanki, general secretary of Municipal Corporation Teachers Association (MCTA), said, “Around 9,000 teachers of north MCD have been paid only till July, that too the salary came in today. The remaining teachers have only been paid till June. We need our salaries till October to celebrate Diwali with our families during such a difficult period.”