COVID-19: MCD requests Delhi CM Kejriwal to release Rs 1500 Cr to pay employees' salaries

Amid the increasing COVID-19 cases in the national capital, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) on Thursday requested Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to release Rs 1,500 crore to pay salaries of their employees. MCD also urged the AAP-led government to provide Rs 1 crore in assistance to the families of the employees who died battling the pandemic.

"All employees who died in this battle against COVID-19, Delhi government should provide Rs 1 crore assistance to their families. We will give job to one of their family members. We are with the Delhi government," Avtar Singh, mayor of the North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) said in a joint press conference with EDMC and SDMC.

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Singh further said that their employees are not getting salaries for the past three months. "I request CM Kejriwal to grant us Rs 1500 crore. This is the responsibility of the Delhi government to support us," he added.

Jai Prakash, Chairman of NDMC Standing Committee, informed that the municipal corporation have worked along side the Delhi government in the fight against coronavirus.

"Delhi government has failed. We ensured cleanliness and sanitisation. We did not do politics in it. If anyone was found COVID-19 positive then our corporation employees did the work of tracing in the area. Our teachers are distribution ration. Drivers of ambulance of Delhi government have stopped coming but so MCD drivers are driving CAT ambulance. They did not speak for our medical staff and corona warriors. We are ready to provide any hospital, stadium and community centre. But we have to work together," he added.

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COVID-19 cases in Delhi

According to the data released by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the national capital has recorded 1877 new cases and 101 deaths on Thursday, marking its sharpest one-day increase. Delhi has also witnessed 486 new recoveries, taking its recovered tally to 12,731 cases. The national capital's total cases now stand at 34,687 with 1085 fatalities.

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(With inputs from Agency)