Delhi CM says workers deprived of welfare schemes by AAP, cites CAG reports
She also said that while only 7% of workers’ data was renewed annually in Delhi, there was a 100 per cent renewal at the national level
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The CM had tabled four CAG reports on Monday, the first day of the ongoing Monsoon Session, and referred to those while speaking in the Assembly on Friday (File Photo)Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Friday accused the previous AAP-led government of neglecting construction workers by depriving them of welfare schemes, alleging that Rs 5,200 crore remained unused in the labour welfare fund even as thousands of workers continued to wait for essential support and benefits.
The CM had tabled four CAG reports on Monday, the first day of the ongoing Monsoon Session, and referred to those while speaking in the Assembly on Friday.
Claiming that the AAP government had an anti-worker mindset and anti-labour approach, Gupta said that while the Central government provides registration and renewal services to workers for free, the AAP-led Delhi government imposed a fee Rs 25 for registration and Rs 20 for renewal.
She also said that while only 7% of workers’ data was renewed annually in Delhi, there was a 100 per cent renewal at the national level.
“It is deeply unfortunate that despite having rightful access to these schemes, lakhs of workers in Delhi were deprived of their entitlements. The Rs 5,200 crore (fund) remained idle while the working class waited for relief. The Supreme Court eventually had to instruct the government to credit Rs 8,000 into the bank accounts of 90,000 eligible workers,” she said.
Quoting one of the CAG reports, Gupta detailed how funds allocated for various schemes related to maternity benefits, disability support, tool purchase, housing assistance, family pensions, accident compensation, and skill development remained either unutilised or grossly underutilised over several years.
Intensifying her attack on AAP further, she called the situation a reflection of the party’s “elitist mentality” and said that the CAG reports should be referred to the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) for investigation.
She also demanded stringent action against all officials and ministers who failed in their duty to uphold the rights of the workers.
Assembly Speaker Vijender Gupta referred the report on construction workers as well as two other CAG reports on Delhi government’s finance accounts and appropriation accounts for 2023-24, presented in the House on August 4 by the CM, to the PAC.
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