Austerity: EDMC to cut expenses on refreshment during meetings

In an austerity measure, the cash-strapped EDMC today decided to cut expenditure on meal refreshment served during its official meetings.
According to top officials, the East Delhi Municipal Corporation incurs an average expense of Rs 8-10 lakh annually on such refreshments, and the decision seeks to embolden the civic body, currently in the throes of huge debt.
"The move was proposed by Congress councillor and Leader of Opposition (in EDMC) Varyam Kaur during a meeting of the Standing Committee today and the panel approved it with immediate effect," a senior EDMC official said.
EDMC's Standing Committee meet is held once a week, so are its ward committee meets, he said, adding, the number of meetings also depends on the will of the respective chairmans.

"But, this move will help EDMC save fund in this hour of financial crisis," he said.
Early in June, the North Delhi Municipal Corporation, also saddled under huge debt, had taken an austerity measure of cutting down expenditure on flower decoration in the rooms of officials and elected representatives.

"The decoration of flowers in the rooms of officials and elected representatives daily cost Rs 8,000 amounting to Rs 12 lakh per annum to the corporation.
"These flower vases are kept in almost all rooms of senior officials and elected members at the Civic Centre (NDMC HQ) as well as the zonal offices. The total amount saved would be Rs 24 lakh per annum by this measure," NDMC's Standing Committee Chairman Mohan Bhardwaj had said.

Both civic bodies, born in 2012 after the trifurcation of the erstwhile unified Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), has been running into losses since then.