NDMC for reunification of corporations

Facing severe financial crunch, senior office bearers of North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) Yesterday pitched for reunification of the three Civic bodies in the National capital.

The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) was trifurcated in 2011-12 by the then Sheila Dikshit government giving birth to North, South and East Delhi Municipal Corporations.

The issue of the reunification of the corporations was raised by the councilors of BJP, which is the ruling party, in North Corporation's Standing Committee meeting.

Chairman of the North Delhi Municipal Corporation Mohan Prasad Bhardwaj said they have asked the BJP high command's intervention in this regard while an appointment has also been sought with Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to discuss the financial crisis faced by them.

Deputy Chairman Rekha Gupta, a councilor from Pitampura, pointed out that after trifurcation, the resources have been unevenly distributed with SDMC getting surplus funds, while north and east civic agencies struggle to even pay salaries to their employees. "The sources of income have declined and expenditures have increased after the trifurcation of the unified MCD.

There is also a dearth of efficient officials to fill vacant positions," she said. Prasad also said that he has written to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal asking for funds of over Rs 687 crore.

Sources said that the civic agency could only pay salaries to 40 percent of its employees this month and if things do not improve, there would be severe shortage of funds in the coming months which might lead to non-payment of salaries to the staff.

The civic agency needs Rs 170 crore a month to pay salaries to its employees.