Councilors in the state get a fee of around Rs 800 per council meeting, which takes place once a month. He gets ₹ 50 for attending the meetings of the Regional Committee. There is no monetary benefit to the Mayor or the Deputy Mayor either. While the mayor gets a government vehicle and a residence, the deputy mayor gets only one vehicle. The councilors say that they spend no less than Rs 30,000 per month for various expenses including travel within the ward and hospitality of the people visiting them.
The comparison is made with an MLA who gets Rs 1.05 lakh in a month. Councillors, mayors and deputy mayors argue that as elected representatives, like legislators, they should be entitled to a salary. “I have to pay between Rs 1,000 and Rs 2,000 per day,” says G Selvaganapathiyoungest councilor madurai Corporation. The 24-year-old says this includes fuel for his vehicle to travel around the ward, tea and snacks for residents who visit him for air complaints. “People also approach us for donations for temple festivals. Some want financial aid. We cannot send them back empty handed,” he says.
S Nivetha, the youngest councilor of Coimbatore Corporation, elected from Ward 97, did the work of cleaning the rainy drains
A councilor from Coimbatore, on condition of anonymity, says his monthly expenditure is more than Rs 70,000 for food for people in his ward who visit him, fuel for his vehicle, donations and gifts. “I am invited to perform almost everything in the ward from the consecration of the temple to the ear piercing ceremony. I have to gift them something or the other,” he says.
A councilor from Coimbatore, on condition of anonymity, says his monthly expenditure is more than Rs 70,000 for food for people in his ward who visit him, fuel for his vehicle, donations and gifts. “I am invited to perform almost everything in the ward from the consecration of the temple to the ear piercing ceremony. I have to gift them something or the other,” he says.
On the illegitimate front, there have been instances when councilors demanded bribes from residents for various approvals, and turned a blind eye to substandard civic works from contractors. “There are councilors who want to be clean. What would they do without remuneration?” says a councillor.
Decades ago, the post of councilor was considered honorary and was occupied by people of stature. Over the years, other states have introduced salaries for councillors. Maharashtra Paying highest remuneration in the country at Rs 25,000 per month. but Tamil Nadu have not followed.
Former Coimbatore Corporation mayor P Rajkumar said the issue of remuneration was brought up for discussion during council meetings during his tenure. “Lack of remuneration is one of the reasons councilors go down the wrong path to make money,” he says.
An official of the municipal administration said that section 25A of the Chennai City Municipal Corporation Act, 1919 bars the mayor, deputy mayor and councilors from taking remuneration. The state has similar rules to other corporations. Coimbatore Corporation Commissioner Raja Gopal Sunkara says that only the state government has the right to fix the salary. However, the council can pass a resolution to draw the attention of the government.
Srinivas Alvilli, head (citizen participation) Janagraha, an NGO working for citizen’s participation in local governance, says that the post of councilor is the entry point into electoral politics. Unlike before, many youths are joining politics. They should be encouraged with rewarding remuneration. This is the only way to attract people from different sections of the society. “Otherwise, only people with money power can bring it into politics. Many people have spent money to become councillors. If there is no remuneration, they will look for other ways to compensate for it,” he says.
G Palanithurai, professor and Panchayati Raj expert at Gandhigram University, says it is possible to remunerate councilors of urban local bodies because they have money. “A remuneration for their service can make councilors more responsible,” he says.