BJP alleges DJB balance sheets not prepared to hide 'financial irregularities'; AAP says 'conspiracy' to block funds

New Delhi, Aug 28 (PTI) Leader of Opposition in Delhi Assembly Vijender Gupta on Wednesday alleged that the AAP government was not preparing the balance sheets of the DJB to hide "financial irregularities" in the city's waterworks agency.

However, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) claimed that all balance sheets were ready and accused the BJP of "deliberately misleading and evading" critical issues.

Citing a report by the Delhi chief secretary on DJB, Gupta accused the AAP government of trying to evade scrutiny by the CAG.

Addressing a press conference, the BJP leader alleged that the chief secretary's report on "irregularities" in the DJB was suppressed by the minister concerned, and demanded a Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) probe into the expenditure of Rs 28,400 crore received by the DJB since 2015-16.

Dismissing the allegations by AAP ministers that the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) was deprived of funds, the BJP leader claimed that budgetary allocations were not fully utilised even though people were suffering due to issues of water supply shortage and sewerage.

As per the report, the DJB, which manages the water supply and sewerage system of the city, has expressed its inability to repay loans worth over Rs 73,000 crore, he claimed.

The chief secretary's report pointed out that due to "rampant corruption", the balance sheets of the DJB for 2021-22 and 2022-23 have not been prepared, which has prevented the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) from conducting an audit, he said.

The report was presented by the chief secretary on March 15 this year after a resolution was passed in the assembly on DJB. It was, however, kept hidden and a copy was not given to opposition MLAs, Gupta claimed.

"The current water minister Atishi often complains about not receiving funds, but the reality is that the Delhi Jal Board is not utilising the funds allocated to it in the budget," Gupta said.

In the 2021-22 budget, an allocation of Rs 3,271 crore was made for the DJB but Rs 210 crore out of this amount remained unspent. Similarly, in the 2022 budget, a provision of Rs 7,607 crore was made, but Rs 3,035 crore of this amount could not be utilised, he claimed.

In a statement, AAP accused the BJP of indulging in "dirty politics" and "conspiring" with officials to block the funds.

The Delhi government has allocated more than Rs 7,000 crore to the DJB. But after taking control of the 'Services' department under the GNCTD Act, the BJP has directed officers to withhold funds, the party alleged.

"The BJP is deliberately creating an artificial crisis in the Delhi Jal Board (DJB). Why such hatred towards the people of Delhi? They block the old pension scheme one day and halt funds for sewer and pipeline projects the next," the Aam Aadmi Party said. PTI VIT RT RT