San Francisco Frontiers - Delhi grants minimum monthly pay and DA to about 4,000 MCD health workers

In a Diwali bonanza, the Delhi government said around 4,000 public health workers employed by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) will receive a minimum monthly salary of ₹18,000, along with dearness allowance (DA), under the principle of equal pay for equal work.

The revised pay structure, which will entail an additional annual expenditure of ₹52 crore, was announced at an event on Friday attended by Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta at the MCD headquarters in New Delhi. The increased wages have been transferred directly to the employees' bank accounts, Mayor Pravesh Wahi said.

The decision is projected to provide financial relief to employees who have been working in the civic body's public health department for several decades.

Salary revision under equal pay policy

According to an official statement, the employees were initially appointed as domestic breeding checkers (DBCs) to help control dengue outbreaks in the capital. They were subsequently redesignated as Multi-Tasking Staff (MTS) in the public health department.

MCD Commissioner Sanjeev Khirwar said the workers had continued to perform essential public health duties, including door-to-door visits to inspect mosquito breeding sites and support efforts to prevent vector-borne diseases.

Under the revised arrangement, their salaries will be fixed at the minimum of Level 1 of the pay matrix, amounting to ₹18,000 per month, along with variable dearness allowance.

Gupta said the decision recognised the contribution of employees who had dedicated decades to public health services. She added ensuring the welfare and dignity of workers engaged in essential civic duties was the government's responsibility.

MCD to incur ₹52 crore additional annual expenditure

Wahi said the proposal to increase the salaries of MTS public health employees had been included in the civic body's previous budget. He said he subsequently approached the chief minister to seek approval for implementing the proposal.

"When we told the chief minister about the salary increase announced in the previous budget, she immediately asked about the cost. When informed that it would amount to ₹52 crore annually, she approved it without delay," he said.

The additional financial burden on the MCD is estimated at ₹52 crore annually.

"It is our duty to care for the thousands of employees who serve Delhi," she said, according to a statement issued by the mayor's office.

Wahi alleged that previous administrations had made promises to MTS employees without adequately addressing their salary concerns. The latest revision, he said, would help resolve a long-standing issue affecting the workforce.

The move comes against a backdrop of efforts by the civic body to address employee-related concerns and strengthen the delivery of public services across the capital.

MCD to recruit 2,500 sanitation workers before Diwali

Separately, the MCD will recruit 2,500 sanitation workers ahead of Diwali to improve cleanliness across Delhi, particularly in markets and other busy public areas during the festive season.

Wahi said the recruitment drive was being undertaken on the chief minister's directions. The additional workforce is projected to help the civic body manage increased footfall and waste generation during the festivities.

The mayor said the initiative was aimed at improving sanitation arrangements and ensuring that roads, markets and public spaces remained clean.

C.Lewis--SFF