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Delhi

Fund crunch: EDMC to dispense with snacks

Cash-strapped East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC) on Thursday decided to discontinue refreshments in its official meetings as an austerity measure to revive the civic body. 

The Corporation, which is facing problems in paying salaries to the sanitation workers and disburse old-age pension, is mulling for more austerity measures like cutting office expenses of its councillors and officials.

The Corporation, while passing a resolution during the meeting of the Standing Committee on Thursday, announced to stop refreshments in all its meetings. The Standing Committee said only water will be served. According to the data provided by officials, at least 25 meetings take place every month and the expenditure on snacks vary between Rs 3,000 and 10,000.

“The Corporation has nearly one-and -a-half dozen committees, which meet at least once in <g data-gr-id="38">month</g>. The meeting of ward committees of both zones and that of the Standing Committee takes place four <g data-gr-id="37">times,</g> while the House meets once a month. If the Corporation avoids refreshment, it will save over Rs 15 lakh per year, which is a big amount. The move will help minimise the Corporation's expenses and stop wastage of food as half of the participants in the meetings do not eat all the items served,” said an official.

While moving the proposal, Leader of the Opposition in the EDMC <g data-gr-id="28">Varyam</g> Kaur said despite facing <g data-gr-id="30">financial</g> crisis, the Corporation spends lakhs of rupees on refreshments. 

“The office of the Municipal Secretary must think to avoid such expenses as <g data-gr-id="31">majority</g> of participants do not enjoy refreshments most of the time. Once stopped, it will increase the Corporations exchequer by more than Rs 15 lakh per year,” said Kaur. 

She said in order to minimise expenses, the EDMC must stop office expenses of its Councillors and officials. 

“Most of the councillors get Rs 6,000 as office expenses every month and the top officials get over ten times the money for the purpose. I have decided to bring a proposal in the next <g data-gr-id="29">meeting,</g> so that it could be stopped,” added Kaur.
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