Delhi Cabinet Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa disclosed in the Assembly that the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report revealed deliberate policy manipulation during the previous government’s excise policy under Arvind Kejriwal. Sirsa emphasized that the CAG report and observations by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) highlighted deficiencies in various departments, with the excise policy being a significant example. According to Sirsa, the CAG report indicated a revenue loss of over Rs 2,000 crore for Delhi due to flawed policy decisions and undue advantages given to specific private entities.
Sirsa pointed out that the excise policy favored a few entities, bypassing institutional processes and imposing changes on the department. He also noted structural alterations in the policy that led to market concentration, reducing the number of wholesalers significantly and creating a monopoly-like situation. The Minister criticized the awarding of licenses to companies with questionable financial credibility, including those with minimal income or negative net worth, which contradicted financial scrutiny norms.
The Minister criticized the AAP government’s decision to waive Rs 144 crore in license fees during the pandemic, causing significant losses to the excise department despite increased per bottle sales. Sirsa stressed the importance of accountability and transparency, stating that those accountable for misusing public resources must face legal consequences. He accused Arvind Kejriwal and the Aam Aadmi Party government in Punjab of allegedly replicating a similar liquor scam in Punjab akin to the one in Delhi.
