Delhi Speaker Sends CAG Report on AAP’s Excise Policy to PAC
The Delhi Assembly discussed the damning report by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) on the previous AAP government's excise policy on Thursday.
New Delhi: The Delhi Assembly discussed the damning report by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) on the previous AAP government’s excise policy on Thursday.
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Following the discussion, Speaker Vijender Gupta sent the CAG report to the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) for further scrutiny.
CAG Report Sent to PAC for Review
Speaker Vijender Gupta forwarded the CAG report to the PAC and requested a detailed report within three weeks. The excise department has also been asked to submit an action-taken report within a month, according to sources in the Assembly secretariat.
A Fresh CAG Report on Covid-19 Mismanagement Expected Tomorrow
In a related development, another CAG report, focusing on the mismanagement of funds during the Covid-19 pandemic, is expected to be tabled in the Assembly on Friday. This report highlights discrepancies in the creation of hospital beds during the pandemic, showing the addition of just 1,300 beds instead of the promised 30,000.
BJP MLAs Criticize AAP’s Excise Policy
During the discussion on the excise policy CAG report, BJP MLAs criticized the previous AAP government’s liquor licensing practices, which they claimed resulted in a loss of Rs 2,002 crore to the exchequer. BJP legislators raised concerns over favouritism in the issuance of liquor licenses, opening of liquor vends in residential areas, and the lack of quality testing of liquor before it was sold in the city.
Upadhyay pointed out that the CAG report exposed the absence of quality checks on liquor sold in Delhi under the AAP government’s excise policy. He claimed that the absence of testing contributed to the sale of illicit liquor in the city, causing additional losses to the government.
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Jangpura MLA Tarvinder Singh Marwah further alleged that the excise policy was designed to fund Arvind Kejriwal’s Prime Ministerial ambitions. He also accused the government of enabling smuggling of liquor through trucks and the establishment of liquor vends in residential areas, all of which contributed to the widespread malpractices.
Criticism of the “One-Plus-One” Policy
Greater Kailash MLA Shika Rai joined the debate, criticizing the “one-plus-one” liquor policy for encouraging alcoholism in low-income groups. She claimed that the policy had a detrimental impact on families, leading to increased domestic violence and growing debts, especially among the poor.
Najafgarh legislator Neelam Pehalwan accused the AAP government of pushing women towards alcoholism by opening “Pink liquor vends” and offering discounts. She also expressed concern about the proximity of liquor vends to schools in her constituency.
Allegations of Corruption and Mismanagement
Moti Nagar MLA Harish Khurana took a strong stance against the AAP government’s excise policy, referring to it as part of a larger “liquor scam.” He hinted that former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who was allegedly at the center of the scam, might face legal consequences once again.
CAG Report Highlights Financial Losses
The CAG report, which was tabled in the Delhi Assembly, pointed out that the excise policy under former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his ministers caused a loss of over Rs 2,002 crore to the exchequer. This has fueled further political tensions and calls for accountability regarding the AAP government’s financial management.
