Delhi govt okays Rs 200 cr loan for NDMC salary payments

Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia approved a loan of Rs 200 crore to the cash-strapped North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) for payment of its employees' salaries.

According to a senior official, with this loan amount, the government has so far given Rs 1,304 crore to the BJP-led NDMC this fiscal.

"The Deputy Chief Minister has approved a loan of Rs 200 crore to NDMC for payment of its employees' salaries. The total loan to the civic body stands at Rs 1,304 crore," the official said.

The government has made it clear the loan is being given on the condition that it be spent on payment of salaries only.

Earlier this month, AAP government had also approved Rs 200 crore loan to East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC) for payment of salaries and pension of its employees.

In January, thousands of EDMC sanitation workers had gone on strike demanding payment of their salaries.

The ruling Aam Aadmi Party has been accusing all the three BJP-led civic bodies of "wasting" money at a time when municipal polls are scheduled to be held in April this year.