The Supreme Court on Monday slammed the Delhi Government for expressing its inability to contribute funds for construction of the Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) project and directed it to furnish details of funds spent on advertisements in the last three financial years.
The funds were meant for construction of the RRTS stretch that will connect the national Capital with Rajasthan and Haryana.
Meanwhile, the BJP was quick to attack Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, alleging that the Delhi Government has spent Rs 1,868 crore on advertisements in the last five years.
“Kejriwal’s Govt has expressed inability to fund the NCR Rapid Rail project, citing lack of funds. Kejriwal, in the last 5 years, has spent a whopping 1,868 crore on advertisements, that is more than 31 crore per month and approx 1.2 crore per day!” BJP IT-cell head Amit Malviya tweeted.
“When you blow up tax payers money on self promotion, there will obviously be no resource for development work!” he added.
Earlier, a bench comprising Justice S K Kaul and Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia directed the AAP Government to file an affidavit enumerating details of funds within two weeks. The direction came after the counsel for the Delhi government told the bench that there was paucity of funds and expressed inability to provide monetary assistance.
“You want us to get into what funds you are spending where. All funds for advertisement shall be diverted for this project. You want this kind of order? You are asking for it,” the court said.
“The Delhi Government has expressed its inability to contribute funds for common project. Since paucity of funds is an impediment in this project, we call upon the NCT of Delhi to file an affidavit setting forth the funds utilised for advertisement as the project is of national importance. Details may be furnished for last financial years,” the bench said.
The Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut Segment of the RRTS, where out of the total project cost of Rs.30,274 crore and Delhi government’s commitment was only to the tune of Rs. 1180 crore. Out of which, despite directions from the Supreme Court, Rs.415 crore is yet to be released. It took the Supreme Court to order on 06.03.2019 to release Rs 265 crore and on 21.04.2023 to release Rs 500 crore by the Delhi government. The Uttar Pradesh government on the contrary, has met its financial commitments in the project.
Similar is the situation in the Delhi-Gurugram-Alwar and Delhi-Panipat Segments of the Project, wherein while other State Governments that include Haryana and Rajasthan have started releasing their payments, Delhi government is yet to do so.
Sources said the Kejriwal Government has spent Rs 1106.02 crore on advertisement, in the last three financial years which include Rs 297.70 crore in 2020-21; Rs 596.37 crore in 2021-22 and Rs 211 crore in 2022-23. The budget for publicity in the current fiscal year is Rs 557.24 crore. “The above amounts do NOT include the Ad spend of Delhi Govt Boards, Corporations and Autonomous Bodies, like DJB, DTC, DSIIDC, DTTDC, Academies and Universities,” sources said.
The Leader of Opposition in the Delhi Assembly Ramvir Singh Bidhuri has stated that the Supreme Court has completely exposed the Delhi Government in its recent order. The Government, which can spend 3,000 crores in the last eight years to promote its image and 179 crores on Kejriwal’s residence, is now claiming that it does not have funds for the RRTS,” Bidhuri said.
“Previously, when the Peripheral Road was being constructed in Delhi, the Kejriwal Government had refused to contribute its share of 3,700 crores. The Central Government did not stop and completed the project despite the Delhi Government’s non-cooperation. This project alone led to a reduction in the entry of thousands of trucks into Delhi and helped in reducing pollution,” the LOP said.