WB Govt allocates ₹3 Cr to clear Chuchura Municipality worker's pending salaries

The West Bengal government has released ₹3 crore to the Chuchura Municipal Corporation to settle the pending salaries of temporary employees. The allocation aims to resolve the salary delay issue affecting workers over the past two months. The funds were made available following discussions with Chuchura's MLA, Asit Majumdar, who confirmed the advance payment for employee wages.

This ₹3 crore is an advance from the state government, and the municipality is expected to repay it in the future. The payment will cover the outstanding salaries for two months, while the municipality will be responsible for ensuring the payment of future salaries. December’s salary, however, will be paid in January. The local government is also under pressure to find sustainable financial solutions to avoid similar issues in the future.

The financial difficulties at the Chuchura Municipal Corporation stem from a significant gap between its monthly income and the costs of salary disbursement. It is reported that the corporation spends approximately ₹1.5 crore per month on the salaries of temporary employees, but its monthly income is only between ₹60-70 lakh. This shortfall led to the salary delays, and employees had not received their dues for two months, triggering protests and the threat of a strike.

The workers, who had planned to stop work if the issue was not resolved, agreed to call off their strike after the state government’s intervention. The strike threat had been escalating, as workers expressed dissatisfaction with the ongoing delay. The situation had become urgent, with workers emphasizing the need for payment before the Christmas holiday, to ensure the cleanliness of the city for the upcoming festivities.

State leaders, including Firhad Hakim and Arup Biswas, played a role in addressing the crisis. Both leaders made direct calls to municipal officials to facilitate the release of funds. Additionally, a government representative, Jolly Chowdhury, was sent to oversee the fund distribution process and ensure timely payment. These actions aimed to prevent a prolonged disruption of municipal services.

Following the resolution of the salary issue, Chuchura’s Chairman Amit Roy and MLA Asit Majumdar took part in a symbolic cleaning drive. This public display was aimed at reinforcing their commitment to resolving the municipal crisis. Subsequently, sanitation workers resumed their duties, ensuring that the city remained clean, especially with the expected large number of visitors for Christmas. The swift government intervention helped to restore normalcy and avoid a larger disruption in public services.