MCD strike continues; Delhi Dy CM Manish Sisodia to meet Lt Governor today

New Delhi: With municipal workers refusing to end the strike after Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi government announced a loan of Rs 551 crore for payment of salaries, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, Thursday, would meet Lt Governor Najeeb Jung and Mayors.

Besides meeting Jung, Sisodia said, he was also trying to seek appointment with the Home Minister and Urban Development Minister.

MCD strike continues despite govt released Rs 693cr for salaries. I'm meeting emp. unions, Mayors, LG today. Trying to meet HM & UD Min also— Manish Sisodia (@msisodia) February 4, 2016

Kejriwal on Wednesday announced a loan of Rs 551 crore for payment of salaries to agitating workers of two municipal corporations, but failed to end the strike.

The agitating MCD staff refused to call off their strike even as the mayors of the north and east Delhi municipal corporations said they will accept the loan extended by the AAP government as a grant only. The mayors of north and east Delhi said they will accept Rs 551 crore as a "grant" only because Delhi government is yet to pay Rs 3,000 crore to the municipal corporations under the Third Delhi Finance Commission.

Employees of Delhi's three civic bodies - North Delhi Municipal Corporation, South Delhi Municipal Corporation and East Delhi Municipal Corporation - have been protesting the non-payment of salaries for the past few months, and directing their ire at both the Delhi and central governments for the last eight days.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief also announced that the North Delhi Municipal Corporation will also be paid Rs 142 crore against the stamp duty bill.