Pensions not paid by MCD due to financial crunch, says Modi Govt

New Delhi, Dec 9: The three municipal corporations in Delhi are unable to pay old-age and other welfare pensions for over a year due to "financial crunch" in the civic bodies, Rajya Sabha was informed today.

Minister of State for Home Affairs Haribhai Parathibhai Chaudhary said this in reply to a question by Congress MP Parvez Hashmi on non-payment of pension for widows and old-age people by three BJP-led corporations for the last "three years".

Chaudhary provided the details of pensions for poor, old- age, widows, handicapped and mentally-challenged persons, adding that the problems in payment were due to "financial crunch" faced by the municipal corporations.

The South Delhi Municipal Corporation has paid Rs 39.04 crore worth of pension in this financial year for the amount due for the period upto December 2014.

No pension has been paid by the North Delhi Municipal Corporation in the current year due to financial crunch.

The civic body had paid Rs 50.73 crore as pension in 2014-15. East Delhi Municipal Corporation disbursed Rs 69.94 crore on account of pensions till March 2013.

Thereafter, no pension has been paid due to financial crunch, the minister said.

PTI