The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) reports on finance and appropriation accounts of the previous Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Government in Delhi, revealing non-submission of bills and utilisation certificates worth hundreds of crores of rupees and risk of fund misuse, was referred on Friday to the Assembly’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) for investigation.
Delhi Assembly Speaker Vijender Gupta on Friday said the CAG reports of the Finance Accounts and Appropriation Accounts of the Delhi Government for the years 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 indicated lapsed amount indicated that if the Government had planned and implemented properly, this amount could have been used for the welfare of the peopleof Delhi.
In a statement, he said Finance Accounts and Appropriation Accounts are thoroughly scrutinised and audited by the CAG and then presented to the Assembly.
He also said surprisingly, like other reports, these reports were also suppressed by the previous Government and not brought before the Legislative Assembly.
Giving details, he said in the Appropriation Accounts for the year 2021-2022, the CAG reported that there was a total saving of `10,539 crore, out of which `5,458 crore lapsed due to delayed surrender. Similarly, in the year 2022-2023, there was a total saving of `14,115.71 crore, out of which `7,557.47 crore lapsed due to delayed surrender.
This implies that if the Government had planned and implemented properly, this amount could have been used for the welfare of the people of Delhi, the Speaker said.
In the Financial Accounts for the year 2021-2022, the CAG found that an amount of `432.42 crore was outstanding due to non-submission of bills by government departments, meaning there was no way to confirm whether the amount was actually spent as approved by the Legislative Assembly.
The Finance Accounts report 2022-23 revealed that in respect of old loans (detailed accounts of which are maintained by the Concerned Administrative Department or Pay and Accounts Office), the repayment of loans of `1,55,805.74 crore (principal `54,457.01 crore and interest `1,01,348.73 crore) were in arrears as on March 31, 2023. Of these, loans amounting to `1,49,468.97 crore (principal `51,097.62 crore and interest `98,371.35 crore) are more than 10 years old. This has reference to Section three of statement number 16 of the finance accounts. Terms and conditions of repayment of loans have not been settled for loans amounting to `17.93 crore to PSUs (namely Delhi State Civil Supplies Corporation and Delhi SC Financial Development Corporation. In the year 2022-2023, this amount was `574.89 crore. The CAG has also expressed concern over the non-submission of utilisation certificates for an amount of `9,314.85 crore as of March 31, 2023, which poses a serious risk of fund misuse. As provided in our rules, these accounts will be examined by the Public Accounts Committee. The scrutiny by the Legislative Assembly and the PAC will ensure proper accounting of our finances and ensure that Government funds are not misused, the statement said.
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Wednesday tabled the reports in the Assembly, Finance Accounts and Appropriation Accounts of the Delhi Government for the financial years 2021-22 and 2022-23.
