PMC ready, corporators set for a pay hike

He said the state government did not give information on the hike in honorarium that was under consideration but sought opinion on the capacity of PMC to pay.

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At present, the PMC pays honorarium of Rs 7,500 per month to each of its 157 corporators. An allowance of Rs 100 is paid for attending each general body meeting to a maximum of four meetings in a month.

In 2008, the PMC elected representatives had passed a proposal for increasing the monthly honorarium of corporators from Rs 4,000 to Rs 10,000 per month despite opposition from various social organisations, but the state government allowed Rs 7,500 per month. In 2010, the state government sanctioned an honorarium of Rs 10,000 for elected representatives of BMC while allowing Rs 7,500 to those of PMC as per the category they are in.

The state government, in a letter sent to PMC last week, has sought its opinion on the honorarium to be given to corporators based on the financial condition of the civic body. The state’s move came after the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) moved a proposal before it seeking a hike in honorarium. BMC corporators are reportedly seeking an honorarium of Rs 50,000.

PMC chief accountant Ulka Kalaskar said the PMC would pay the honorarium as decided by the state government. “PMC cannot go against the decision of the state government and give less honorarium than decided by it, irrespective of the financial condition of the civic body,” he said.

Another civic official said that though PMC feared tough financial situation after the local body tax (LBT) was abolished by the state government from August 1, it could not oppose the increase in honorarium. “PMC follows the Union government norms to give dearness allowance (DA) twice a year to its employees. And then PMC follows the Pay Commission norms related to hike. Therefore, the civic administration cannot oppose if there is a hike in honorarium of corporators,” he said.

Civic activist Vivek Velankar said the state government should consider the financial condition of corporators while increasing their honorarium.

“It is hard to believe that they rely on the honorarium. The state government should seek affidavit from elected representatives that the honorarium is their only income source,” he said, adding that assets declared by the elected representatives during elections indicate they are not at all dependent on honorarium.