Delhi Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena in a letter to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has expressed dismay over the delay in presenting the national capital’s budget.
The LG asked the Delhi government to present the Annual Financial Statement (Budget) in the Assembly so that it could be discussed and passed expeditiously in the larger interest of the people.
In his letter, the LG conveyed to the Delhi CM that he was constrained to inform him that despite the Annual Financial Statement being ready and available with the government following its due clearance from the Government of India on February 19, it had not yet reached his office so that it could be tabled in the House as mandated by law.
“You are accordingly requested to expedite the process and utilise the Budget Session for its intended purpose to maintain transparency, accountability and good governance,” the LG said in his letter to Kejriwal on Saturday.
Saxena mentioned that the delay in the process at the level of the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (GNCTD) appears to have no apparent reason.
In his letter, the LG said, “It will be pertinent to mention here that the Cabinet’s decision to summon the House for Budget Session between 15.02.2024 and 21.02.2024 was taken on 31.01.2024. This decision was sent to me on 02.02.2024 and, based on the same, summoning orders were issued by me on 06.02.2024.”
“Subsequently, the Annual Financial Statement (Budget) was received by my Secretariat on 13.02.2024 and the same was cleared by me for further approval by the Hon’ble President of India on 14.02.2024. It was then sent to the Ministry of Home Affairs by the GNCTD on 15.02.2024 for obtaining the Hon’ble President’s sanction. The Government of India conveyed its approval on 19.02.2024, within three working days. Thereafter, the process seems to have been stalled for no apparent reason at the level of the GNCTD,” the LG’s letter to the CM stated.
Notably, the LG’s letter has come days after he wrote to the Delhi CM, urging him to table the five CAG reports pertaining to the finances of the Delhi government in the Assembly.
“My secretariat has received copies of the communication from the Controller of Accounts, PAO (Principal Accounts Office), GNCTD, addressed to the Secretary to the Finance Minister, GNCTD, pursuant to a letter by Principal Accountant General Audit, Delhi, requesting clearance from the Finance Minister for five CAG reports and one GNCTD Accounts report. These reports were supposed to be sent to me for laying them before the Legislative Assembly,” he wrote on Thursday.
Saxena stated that Article 151 of the Constitution of India mandates for ‘The Lieutenant Governor to cause the reports of CAG to be laid before the Legislature’.
He claimed that the five CAG reports pertaining to the state finances have been pending the consideration of the (Delhi) Minister of Finance since August 2023.