MBMC set to implement 7th pay panel

The Mira Bhayandar Municipal Corporation (MBMC) is set to implement the Seventh Pay Commission for its employees. A resolution seeking an administrative and financial approval to pave way for the implementation has found its place in the agenda of the civic body’s general body meeting scheduled to be held on Thursday (February 20).

The government resolution (GR) notifying the Seventh Pay Commission was issued by the finance department last year. Based on the notification, the civic administration documented a proposal revealing figures to describe the financial health of the civic body along with a chart depicting the existing pay structure compared to the revised scale in accordance to the pay band and grade pay of the 1550-odd employees attached to the various departments.

As per official statistics inked in the report, the annual revenue generation hovers around Rs455 crore including Rs115 crore from property tax, Rs205 crore from GST grant, Rs70 crore from development fees and Rs65 crore from other sources. All eyes will now be on the newlyappointed civic chief CK Dange on his future plans to augment existing income and tapping new sources of revenue.

Apart from other recurring day-to-day expenses, around Rs145 crore is spent towards payment of salaries to the civic personnel, which according to officials is limited to 32.04 per cent. As per the conditions laid down in the GR, it is mandatory for the civic body to keep the administrative expenditure below 35%.

Though the projects towering estimates every year, loans procured for various development projects have been occupied a lion’s share in the budgets. Presently, the body is under a debt of over Rs257 crore. It has to be ensured there are sufficient funds for development works, repaying loans and interest.