NDMC, EDMC receive Rs 226 crore from Delhi govt

North and East Delhi municipal corporations today received nearly Rs 226 crore as "grant-in- aid" from the Delhi government, a step which is likely to bring some stability to the cash-strapped civic bodies.
Delhi government yesterday said that it had released Rs 226.66 crore, as the first installment to North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) and East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC) to ensure payment of unpaid salaries to their staff.
According to the government, of the total amount released, Rs 138.28 crore has been given to NDMC for salary purposes while for other non-plan heads a sum of Rs 11.82 crore has been released.

"We have received nearly Rs 150 crore as part of the grant-in-aid. The aid comes in four segments and of the nearly Rs 600 crore total grant-in-aid, this part has been received under the education head," a senior NDMC official told PTI.
"The rest segments are -- maintenance of capital assets, maintenance of resettlement colonies and maintenance of school buildings," he said.
North Delhi Mayor Yogender Chandolia in a press meet this afternoon, clarified that the money may have been sanctioned by the AAP government for sanitation department but, it is under the "education head".

"There is no such thing as sanitation head, the grant-in-aid given by Delhi government can however be used by sanitation department, to pay for salaries due to them, among others," the senior official said.

Asked, how the NDMC was planning to pay the salaries due to sanitation workers, Chandolia said, "we also have other sources of income besides the grant-in-aid as part of our municipal fund."
"From this financial year, people submit their house tax early to enjoy rebate. Also, there is the transfer duty, toll tax and electric tax, so that should help us cover the dues," he said.
Chandolia said that "we have been demanding the tabling of the Fourth Finance Commission Report in Delhi Assembly, but of no avail. "If the recommendation of the Commission are taken up, it will solve a big portion of our problems, including our global share," he said.

The debt-ridden EDMC said that it has received a fund of "around Rs 76 crore". It was given Rs 51.96 crore for salary purposes and about Rs 24 crore for other non-plan heads, a senior government official yesterday had said.
"Yes, we have received the grant from the Delhi government," a senior EDMC official said.