Delhi CM: Mayors are ‘political animals’

Claiming no dues are pending for clearance at the AAP government’s end, Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday said that mayors of all three BJP-led municipal corporations should “keep their houses in order.”

“Mayors are political animals they will say anything. When the municipal commissioners are saying that nothing is due, the mayors should keep their houses in order. Why are they coming to us and saying that the salaries are pending ” Mr Kejriwal said in response to a question about the mayors’ allegations that the AAP government is not releasing funds to the civic bodies.

“We have given all the funds. We are not left with anything and the data is also in public domain. I had called a meeting of three municipal commissioners a few days back and I asked them what is pending for clearance at our end. They gave us in writing that nothing is left to be given from the government’s side,” he added. The chief minister had a meeting with all the three municipal commissioners of Delhi on January 15.

As per the minutes of the meeting, all corporations except the South Delhi Municipal Corporation are in deficit, and are not prima facie eligible to get the Municipal Reform Fund (MRF).

Government gives MRF as an incentive to civic bodies due to improvement in their financial position. In the meeting, Kejriwal was informed by the commissioners that they have not received any funds under the MRF head for the last two years. Government had clarified that 100 per cent of funds have been released to both North Corporation (NDMC) and East Corporation (EDMC) while 80 per cent of funds has been released to SDMC and the remaining amount will be given to it by January 18.