Twin cities councillors hike their honorarium by four times

Hubballi-Dharwad councillors increase honorarium by four times despite municipal commissioner's warning, to be paid from general fund.

At a time, when the Hubballi-Dharwad Municipal Corporation is unable to mobilise funds for its development works, councillors have unanimously resolved to increase their honorarium by four times.

Although municipal commissioner Eshwar Ullagaddi made an effort to reason with the councillors about the need to follow the requisite procedure and for the State government’s approval during the monthly council meeting in Hubballi on Tuesday, Mayor Ramanna Badiger ruled in favour of the hike, directing the municipal commissioner to release the revised honorarium immediately.

With the Mayor’s ruling, councillors of Hubballi-Dharwad are now entitled for an honorarium of ₹25,000 per month instead of the earlier ₹6,300 per month honorarium with immediate effect. The increased honorarium will be paid from the general fund of the municipal corporation.

Earlier, raising the issue of honorarium, the councillors cutting across party lines expressed dismay over the irregularity in payment of honorarium.

They said that their honorarium is less than even what is being paid to gram panchayat members and demanded that it be increased.

Replying to the demand by the councillors, Mr. Ullagaddi clarified that although the honorarium is paid from the corporation’s general fund, it requires approval from the State government. He said that the resolution will have to be sent to the State government for approval.

However, councillors, including Santosh Chavan, questioned the rationale behind sending it to the government for approval when ultimately it is the corporation which is paying the amount from its general fund.