In response to lieutenant-Governor Najeeb Jung’s address to the Delhi Assembly, leader of Opposition Vijender Gupta said on Tuesday in the House that it’s a tale of the Government’s failures and inability to achieve targets set for 2015-16. Gupta said the AAP Government has failed to fulfill its promises made in the election manifesto and as a result the development works have come to halt.
Gupta pointed out that a host of tall promises about education were made last year but the Government failed to open even a single school or college. “last year one lakh students failed in Class-IX. Two lakhs children left Government schools due to lack of proper facility. No arrangement could be made for education of 1.5 lakh children,” he said. “While the old schools don’t have 20,000 teachers till now, from where will you get teachers for new schools,” Gupta added.
He said the Government has illegally appointed chairman of DERC. “The Delhi Subordinate Services Selection Board is in a shambles and needs to be replaced by an honest and efficient recruitment system. Even the Court has chastised the Government for not implementing the Fourth Delhi Finance Commission. As many as 16 Bills passed by the Vidhan Sabha are pending for their unconstitutionality,” he said.
Criticising the AAP Government for taking credit for drastic reduction in cost in projects, Gupta said the Government is presenting misleading reasons and facts for showing reduction in costs for building flyovers and dispensaries. Gupta said the tenders were given in 2013 and the construction was completed in 2015 and during the intervening period, the cost of steel and cement heavily came down as a result of the efforts of the Central Government. “There was also change in design. The foot overbridges and certain other vital changes were made reducing the cost. This was the primary reason. As per CPWD Manual, Clause 10 cc, the cost reduction must have been projected which the AAP Government failed to do. Now, it is taking credit for its inefficiency,” said leader of Opposition.
However, the Speaker interrupted Gupta during the speech with Opposition MlAs walking out of the House in protest against the “dictatorial attitude” of the Speaker.