New Delhi, Dec 21 (PTI) South Delhi Municipal Corporation Mayor Mukesh Suryan on Tuesday alleged that Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia is trying to "tarnish" the image of the civic body by presenting false figures on funds released to it and the two other municipalities here.

His remarks came after Sisodia, a senior AAP leader, on Monday alleged corruption in the civic bodies and said the Delhi government paid Rs 2,588 crore to the municipal corporations of Delhi (MCDs) till December this year.

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Suryan also claimed that the Delhi government owes Rs 1,482.19 crore to the SDMC since 2016 in its plan head fund share.

The city has three municipal corporations -- South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC), East Delhi Municipal Corporation and North Delhi Municipal Corporation – and all are BJP-ruled.

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Addressing a press conference, Mayor Suryan refuted the corruption allegations and said that it was “unfortunate” that the Delhi deputy chief minister is presenting a false figure regarding the funds given to the three MCDs and “misleading” the city's people.

"Since 2016, Rs 1,482.19 crore of SDMC's fund share is due in plan head and Rs 708.63 crore in non-plan head on the Delhi government. According to the recommendations of the fifth DFC (Delhi Finance Commission), a grant of Rs 878.10 crore was to be given to the SDMC by the Delhi government in 2021-22 but only Rs 3,71.36 crore has been released," Suryan said.

He said that in the non-plan head, a grant of Rs 405.28 crore was to be released in the financial year 2021-22 but only Rs 246.05 crore has been given by the government so far.

The SDMC mayor claimed that according to the recommendations of the third DFC, the municipality's outstanding from 2012 to 2016 on the Delhi government is Rs 427.69 crore and a court case is also going on in this regard.

"The Delhi government is trying to paralyse MCDs with a motive to gain political mileage in the upcoming MCD elections," he alleged.

Suryan said that the Deputy Chief Minister Sisodia is talking about inquiry into MCDs, while he should tell how so many illegal liquor shops are being opened in Delhi.

"The Delhi government will have to inquire into these illegal liquor shops which are being opened without NOC and without proper policy," Suryan said.

Sisodia on Monday had said the Delhi government had given 75 per cent of the total budget reserved for the MCDs in three instalments and the rest 25 per cent is due in January.

He had said that as per the budget, the Delhi government should give the MCDs Rs 3,488 crore, of which Rs 2,588 crore have been paid till December.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)