New Delhi, May 15 (IANS): The Delhi government on Saturday allocated Rs 1,051 crore to the three municipal corporations to pay the salaries of employees and medical staff working amid the ongoing second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Of the total financial assistance of Rs 1,051 crore earmarked for the three MCDs, Rs 366.9 crore will be given to the East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC), Rs 432.8 crore to North MCD and Rs 251.6 crore to South MCD.

The employees of the three civic bodies have been demanding their monthly wages for the past several months.

Not only the sanitation staff, but the medical staff members, including doctors in healthcare centres which are being operated by the civic bodies have been complaining of their pending dues despite working in the pandemic situation.

While making an announcement regarding the financial assistance to the civic bodies, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia accused the BJP-led MCDs of "incompetence" and "corruption".

"It has come to our notice that MCDs, due to incompetence and corruption, have not been distributing salaries to employees in the midst of a pandemic. It shows MCDs in a very poor light if they are unable to even pay salaries to their medical staff, doctors and nurses who are putting their lives in danger to save lives in these unprecedented times.

"Delhi government has issued assistance of Rs 1,051 crore for the MCDs which can effectively disburse salaries to its employees who have not been able to receive it until now," Sisodia said.

He added, "We hope that MCDs leadership will guarantee this assistance is not used for any other activities, not diverted in any way, but used only to pay salaries of MCD employees involved in Covid-19 duty."