Sanitation workers got salaries, bonus before month-end: Kejriwal

Former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Wednesday that the salaries and bonuses for 64,000 sanitation workers had been credited before the end of the month, marking a first in the history of the Municipal Corporation.

Kejriwal, alongside Mayor Shelly Oberoi, confirmed that Rs 23 crore in Diwali bonuses and November salary payments have been transferred.

“This is great news for the people of Delhi, especially for our hardworking sanitation workers. The AAP-led MCD government, under Mayor Oberoi’s leadership, has accomplished a significant achievement,” Kejriwal said.

“For the past 18 years, MCD employees, especially sanitation workers, have endured delays of up to six to eight months in receiving their wages, often forcing them to protest. They spent nearly 70-80 per cent of their time demonstrating — not for additional demands, but simply to receive their basic salaries. Eighteen years ago, MCD employees received timely monthly salaries. But after the BJP took control of the MCD, timely salary disbursement became rare,” he added.

He credited AAP’s performance in the MCD since it came to power in 2022 with transforming the situation from what he described as a period of “corruption” under the BJP.

“In the last two years, we have ensured that employees receive their wages in the first week of each month.

There has not been a single instance in the past two years where sanitation workers needed to strike or protest for their salaries,” the AAP national convener further said.

Kejriwal added that the salary which was supposed to be credited on November 7 has already been credited. “This is the result of Delhi citizens electing a government committed to transparency and service, just as they previously did at the state level,” he said.

‘Not doing any favour’

By giving a month’s salary on time, the Aam Aadmi Party is not doing any favour; out of 1,57,000 employees, it is only paying salaries to 64,000 employees to gain false acclaim. — Raja Iqbal Singh, LoP in MC