New Delhi, Sep 5 (PTI) The BJP on Thursday approached the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) seeking a probe into alleged “financial irregularities” in the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) of AAP government.
The ruling AAP rubbished the charge, claiming the BJP is “deliberately misleading” and evading critical issues, and is using “dirty politics to “conspire with officers” to block the release of funds.
Leader of Opposition in Delhi Assembly Vijender Gupta, in a letter to the CVC, demanded an investigation, saying no account of Rs 28,400 crore given to the DJB since 2015, when AAP came to power, was available as no balance sheets were maintained by the agency.
AAP claimed in a statement that all the balance sheets were ready.
Gupta claimed that after the intervention of the Delhi High Court, the government prepared balance sheets for the first three years, but the balance sheets for the next two years, 2021-22 and 2022-23, were “deliberately” left pending.
“Due to this, the DJB’s expenses have not yet been audited by the CAG (Comptroller and Auditor General), indicating a deep conspiracy to hide financial irregularities and corruption,” he charged.
The BJP MLA informed that on March 15, 2024, the chief secretary of Delhi had submitted a detailed report to the water minister of Delhi regarding DJB’s debt of Rs 73,000 crore.
“This report contained numerous reasons and details about financial irregularities. However, to cover up these misdeeds, the minister concerned did not present it in the Assembly,” he said.
The DJB was allocated Rs 28,400 crore from 2015 until now for various projects. However, there is no record of where this money was spent, he claimed.
“Without a balance sheet or audit, these expenditures cannot be traced, which seems to be the government’s intention as well, hence the delay in preparing the balance sheet,” he charged.
Gupta further pointed out that even the funds allocated in the budget for DJB are not fully utilised. For instance, in 2021-22, Rs 210 crore remained unspent, and in the 2022-23 budget, Rs 3,035 crore could not be utilised.
AAP hit back, alleging the BJP is “deliberately creating an artificial crisis” in the DJB.
“Why such hatred towards the people of Delhi?” it asked, claiming funds for sewer and pipeline projects were stopped at the behest of the BJP.
The people of Delhi have seen through the “negative agenda” of the BJP. In the coming Assembly polls, the BJP will not even be able to retain eight seats in Delhi it won last time, AAP said. PTI VIT KSS KSS
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