Assembly Monsoon Session: AAP govt used power and water subsidy schemes as political tools, says CM
The revenue surplus of the Delhi government in 2023-24 under the AAP's rule had declined by 55% as compared to the preceding fiscal, the CAG report tabled in the Assembly by Gupta on Monday had said.
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"They tried to show... they were offering the free schemes from their own pockets, when in reality, the money belonged to the people," she said in the Assembly.
Accusing the previous AAP government of using electricity and water subsidy schemes as “political tools”, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Thursday said the earlier regime spent money on advertisements rather than on the creation of assets for the Capital while in power.
“They tried to show… they were offering the free schemes from their own pockets, when in reality, the money belonged to the people,” she said in the Assembly.
The revenue surplus of the Delhi government in 2023-24 under the AAP’s rule had declined by 55% as compared to the preceding fiscal, the CAG report tabled in the Assembly by Gupta on Monday had said.
She demanded that the CAG reports on Finance Accounts and Appropriation Accounts of Delhi for 2023-24 be referred to the Public Accounts Committee for a comprehensive investigation, so that people may know how their money was truly spent.
Maintaining that the report exposes the mismanagement and lack of intent of the previous AAP administration, Gupta said, “The people had hoped that their tax money would be used for building roads, schools, and hospitals. Instead, their hard-earned money was diverted towards so-called free schemes.”
She accused the AAP of deliberately neglecting development works and focusing entirely on publicity and propaganda.
Gupta alleged that the previous government did not implement several key development schemes as they were associated with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “Such was the extent of their malice,” she said.
“They claimed that the Centre did not give funds but in reality, they never used the funds given by the Centre for various schemes… In the end, the Centre had to reach the beneficiaries directly,” she added.
As AAP MLAs opposed Gupta’s claims, four party legislators — Anil Jha, Kuldeep Kumar, Prem Chauhan and Jarnail Singh — were marshalled out.
Hitting back, Leader of Opposition Atishi said, “If the CAG report shows a revenue deficit, the BJP-led Union government is responsible. It has withheld Delhi’s share of taxes under the ‘share and taxes’ scheme, while all other states continue to receive their share… When our MLAs start speaking the truth, they switch off our mic to silence us.”
The report pointed out that although the revenue receipts of the government dropped, the gross state domestic product (GSDP) at current prices grew at an average pace of 8.79% during the last five years from Rs 7.93 lakh crore in 2019-20 to Rs 11.08 lakh crore in 2023-24.
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