Go to Arun Jaitley for loan, says CM Arvind Kejriwal to Delhi mayors

NEW DELHI: The three mayors of Delhi met chief minister, Arvind Kejriwal, on Saturday seeking funds and discussing various problemsplaguing the corporations. However, Kejriwal refused to give any funds, and when mayors asked him for a loan, he asked them to go to Union finance minister, Arun Jaitley, for money.

North Delhi mayor, Yogender Chandolia, said he demanded funds as North Corporation has been reeling under financial crisis. "We demanded him Rs 302 crore corporation's money as the global share is with the Delhi government, but he denied. We then asked for loan to pay our staff's salaries but that too was turned down."

Both North and East Corporations haven't been able to pay its staff for over two months now. Former East Corporation commissioner, Manish Gupta, in his budget had asked for Rs 600 crore as grants to stabilize the civic body. "Of the three, East Corporation is in a mess. Our officials have not been paid and installments have not been released from the state government.

The AAP government is not even releasing our money that they have in the form of global share, unpaid taxes and night parking charges," said east Delhi mayor, Meenakshi.

However, CM office issued a statement saying that it is true the municipal corporations are in huge loss but they need to take major corrective measures within to get themselves out of the financial mess.

"The financial situation was not good as there was a deficit of Rs 4,000 crore in revenue target during the last one year, the period when the city was run by BJP-led Union government," Kejriwal said to the delegation. "Although the Delhi government wants to help them, the financial situation is such that it is unable to do so."

Calling it a political friction as municipal corporations are led by BJP and AAP's state government, Chandolia said Kejriwal was politicizing the issue. "He told us to request the Centre for funds." BJP has now decided to write to the Centre asking them for help and intervention in the matter.