New Delhi: Addressing a long-pending demand of around 4,000 domestic breeding checkers (DBCs), Municipal Corporation of Delhi’s deliberative wing on Thursday announced an additional annual budget allocation of Rs 50 crore to ensure pay parity for them.Most DBCs currently receive a monthly minimum wage of Rs 20,496, except for 272 workers who draw Rs 27,900 following a resolution passed by the erstwhile north corporation. The monthly salary of all DBCs will be Rs 28,000, bringing them at par with other contractual employees with similar experience under the principle of equal pay for equal work.
The salary revision is likely to be reflected in MCD’s final budget for 2026-27.Mayor Raja Iqbal Singh later said BJP fulfilled its promise. “We delivered on our commitment to multi-tasking staff (MTS). During the budget session, leader of the house Pravesh Wahi will formally announce and seal the decision.” MCD has been employing DBCs since 2010. They had held several protests over pay disparities and the non-creation of official posts that had denied them the benefits extended to regular staff. Under AAP govt, they were designated as MTS in 2024, but the issue of pay regularisation remained unresolved.The matter was raised in a house meeting last Oct. According to MCD sources, the move could trigger similar demands from other MTS employees, resulting in an additional annual financial burden of around Rs 400 crore.Devanand Sharma of Anti-Malaria Ekta Karmachari Union welcomed the move.In its finalised budget, MCD is also considering relief measures for villages in Delhi, including exemptions or concessions in property tax payments for houses up to 500 square metres. A one-time financial assistance of Rs 21,000 each to 11 widows from each of the 250 wards. A creche facility for employees’ children is also proposed at Civic Centre.
