South corporation to give RWAS more money to maintain parks

NEW DELHI: The South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) on Tuesday decided to increase the financial assistance given to resident welfare associations (RWAS) and NGOS for the maintenance of parks by about 68%.

The standing committee of the south corporation passed a proposal to this effect on Tuesday.

According to the proposal, the grant given to these bodies for the development of parks, espe- cially engagement of gardeners, will be increased to ₹13,500 per month per acre from existing ₹8,000.

Over 6,800 parks are managed by the corporation’s horticulture department while 1,104 colony parks are maintained by RWAS and NGOS under the private public partnership scheme.

The proposal said presently the minimum wage of unskilled labour is higher than the financial assistance provided by the corporation. It was felt the financial assistance to RWAS should be on a par with the minimum daily wages for unskilled labour, which is ₹522 per day and amounts to ₹13,500 per month for an employment of 26 days.

“It is proposed that the financial assistance being given by the SDMC to RWAS and NGOS be increased from ₹8,000 per month per acre to ₹13,500 per month per acre. Presently, there are 1,104 colony parks measuring 270.82 acres, for which financial assistance of ₹4,38,72,840 (₹4.38 crore) is to be provided to RWAS annually,” the proposal read.