Delhi Govt Not Preparing Balance Sheets Of DJB To Hide 'Financial Irregularities:' Vijender Gupta

New Delhi: Vijender Gupta, Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Assembly on Wednesday alleged that the Delhi government was not preparing the balance sheets of the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) to hide 'financial irregularities.'

Citing a report by the Delhi Chief Secretary, Gupta accused the AAP government of trying to evade scrutiny by the CAG.

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

DJB Received Rs 473 Cr Of Rs 7,195 Cr Allocated In 2024-25 Budget, Reveal Documents

The DJB received only Rs 473 crore of Rs 7,195 crore allocated to it in the 2024-25 budget, according to official documents, sources said.

The curtailed disbursal has crippled the DJB's ability to address essential infrastructure, they said.

Documents show that Rs 1,122 crore has been received so far in this fiscal - the remainder carried forward from the past fiscal - of the entire allocation approved by the Delhi Legislative Assembly, Lieutenant Governor, and Union Ministry of Home Affairs.

Before January 2023, the DJB used to demand the allocated budget in instalments by attaching a certificate of expenditure. Usually, about 95 per cent of the amount would be released to it in proportion to the demand, according to the documents.

Delhi's Finance and Water Minister Atishi claimed there is a problem with the amount released by the Finance Department to the Delhi Jal Board.

"Due to this, many works of public interest are coming to a standstill, this is true. But we are fighting for the public at every level. Since the 'Services' Department is not with the Delhi Government, we do not have direct control over the officials. Still, we will continue to get the work of the people of Delhi done by resorting to every available option," she said.

In 2023-24, 7,375 crore was allocated to the DJB, however, despite Atishi writing to the Finance Department, no funds were released, sources said.

The Delhi government had to approach the Supreme Court, following which some funds were released.

In 2023-24, the DJB demanded money in instalments from the Finance Department several times, but it released only Rs 4,573.91 crore.

In 2022-23, Rs 7,607 crore was allocated to DJB but it received only about Rs 4,572 crore in various items.

Similarly, in 2021-22, a budget of 3,271.50 crore was allocated and about 3,061.77 crore was released to the water body.

Sources also said that no new sewer pipelines are being laid and sewers are not being cleaned because of paucity of funds. A senior Finance Department official, however, said that to date about Rs 1,400 crore has been sanctioned to the DJB.

"It depends on the proposals received. To date about Rs 1,400 crore has been sanctioned and proposals for another 500 crore were received on August 8 and are being examined. No other proposal has been received. Sanction of grant and loan depends on proper proposals specifying works for which funds are needed," the official said.

The person shared that the department has twice written to the DJB that if there is any urgent fund need for sewerage works, the proposal may be sent.

"Nothing has been received from DJB so far. Funds cannot be sanctioned without proper justification," he added.

(with PTI inputs)