India, April 3 -- The Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) general body has approved a resolution to absorb contractual and fixed-pay employees who have been providing essential civic services for nearly two decades in lieu of a meagre honorarium. The workers will be shifted to an interim pay scale on par with permanent employees and four authorities-the civic body, the municipal commissioner, the municipal secretary and the chief auditor-will implement the absorption process in phases, the resolution moved on Wednesday by leader of the house Sagar Naik said.

Speaking in the house, Naik - nephew of Navi Mumbai strongman and forest minister Ganesh Naik - said the move would benefit 545 workers in the NMMC's education, health and trans...