New Delhi, February 25
The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report on the Delhi Excise Policy was tabled in the Delhi assembly on the second day of the assembly session by the newly elected CM Rekha Gupta.
The CAG reports highlights the alleged irregularities in the Policy that was brought during the previous Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government.
As per the CAG report tabled, the Delhi excise policy 2021-22 was implemented to simplify liquor trade, bring transparency, check monopoly, generate optimum revenue and ensure a better consumer experience.However, the objectives for the change in the policy were not achieved.
As per the CAG report, the new policy with inherent design issues included the imposed exclusivity arrangement between manufacturers and wholesalers and the formation of a retail zone with a minimum of 27 wards in each zone which limited the number of total licenses and increased the risk of monopolization and cartel formation.
The report also mentioned that there was a lack of scrutiny by the Excise Department with regard to the financial capacity, management expertise and the ability to survive as a going concern.
As per the CAG report, several other important measures which were planned in the policy like the setting up of liquor testing laboratories, batch testing for quality assurance and enhance monitoring and regulation were also not implemented.
Speaking on the CAG report in his address to the Assembly Delhi LG VK Saksena said that the report would expose the administrative failures of the previous government and help work on the same.
“We have instructed the heads of all departments to make a 100-day plan and an outline of development works that need to be done. In the first cabinet meeting of my government, it was decided that the CAG report would be tabled in the assembly and presented before everyone, which would expose the administrative failures of the previous government and help us work on them…” he stated.
Earlier in the day, BJP MLAs Satish Upadhyay and Harish Khurana criticized the AAP government and accused them of corruption and mismanagement.
“Today is a very important day and those who did injustice to the people of Delhi, did corruption, will be sent to jail. From Arvind Kejriwal to Atishi, Saurabh Bhardwaj to Somnath Bharti, everyone will be sent to jail… There have been many scams in Delhi like transport, health, jal board. When the CAG report comes out, the truth will be revealed to the public,” Upadhyay said.
