#Kejriwal promises permanent jobs for contract sanitation workers

New Delhi, April 3 (IANS) The AAP will give permanent jobs to contractual sanitation workers of the three municipal corporations if it wins the upcoming civic polls, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced on Monday.

Speaking at a public meeting at Badli in north-west Delhi here, Kejriwal said the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) would also ensure that the sanitation workers get their salaries on time every month.

“Every three months, the sanitation workers are forced to go on strike as the BJP-ruled municipal corporations say they don’t have money to pay their salaries. When we rule the municipal corporations, we would ensure they get salaries before the seventh of every month,” Kejriwal said.

“We would also make their jobs permanent and give them arrears as well.”

He said soon after coming to power in the civic bodies, the AAP would turn those from cash-strapped to profit-making entities.

The AAP leader asked the people of Delhi to give the party a 2015 Delhi assembly election-like mandate in the civic polls, too.

Listing the achievements of his government, Kejriwal said it reduced electricity rates and provided free water to every household as promised during the election campaign.

“We will also abolish residential house tax if we come to power in municipal corporations using the same rules that the BJP used to waive off house tax for its leader Vijay Goel’s mansion,” he said.

Citing other achievements, Kejriwal said that the primary healthcare was strengthened by constructing Mohalla Clinics in the city and the standard of education was also improved at government schools by bringing down the student-teacher ratio.

“We made all medical tests free at hospitals. We raised minimum wages, which would be effective from this month. You can see it in your bank account statements,” he said.

Elections in 272 municipal wards in Delhi will be conducted on April 23 and the results will be announced on April 26.