‘L-G Baijal protecting corrupt officials’

New Delhi: In a fresh standoff between the Aam Aadmi Party dispensation and lieutenant-governor Anil Baijal, deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia on Wednesday presented the L-G’s “report card” in the Delhi Assembly detailing the “hurdles and delays” in executing the city government’s projects, even as Mr Baijal termed it as “incorrect and misleading”. Speaking in the Delhi Assembly, the deputy CM alleged that the L-G was protecting “corrupt officers”. The report has pointed out the delays as high as of 402 days in approval of the lieutenant-governor with regard to higher education loan guarantee scheme.

He also said that the L-G was “paralysing” the government by connecting every issue of the AAP dispensation with service matter. Taking a dig at Mr Baijal, Mr Sisodia said the lieutenant-governor had only two powers — to either have differences of opinion on government’s decision or send proposals to President. The AAP leader said the LG office, which is run by public money, should be asked questions as ministers were responsible towards people.

As per rules, all projects passed by the Delhi cabinet have to be approved by the LG before they can be implemented. Responding to the AAP government’s report, the LG office said,”This office has learned through media about the circulation of an LG’s Outcome Report. The report prima facie appears to contain incorrect facts in a deliberate attempt to mislead. A detailed factual response on this report shall be given on Thursday,” an official statement from Mr Baijal’s office said.

The report card, ‘Outcomes of the office of the Lieutenant Governor’, has delays of major project proposals sent to the office of the Lieutenant Governor for approval. According to it, the longest delay for approval of a project by Baijal was for ‘Higher Education Loan Guarantee Scheme for Students’ — 402 days — while the lowest was for ‘Doorstep Delivery of Services’, which was delayed by only 21 days.

The AAP government, in its report, had also mentioned around 32 proposals wherein the LG either delayed his approval or rejected the government’s proposals.

The higher education loan guarantee scheme, request for officers for the directorate of education, provision of mid day meals by Akshyaya Patra Foundation, establishing 1,000 Aam Aadmi Mohalla Clinics, 500 Aam Aadmi Mohalla Clinics and Rogi Kalyan Samitis are some of the proposals mentioned in the report.

“This seems to reflect that the insubstantive queries and clarifications (by Mr Baijal) are merely a means to delay, derail or scuttle policies of elected government,” the report said. The report also has details of vacancies in all important Delhi government departments — such as the Services Department, which appoints officers under the ambit of the LG in Delhi. “Is LG’s institution a Local Guardian of all corrupt officers,” Mr Sisodia questioned while presenting the report.

 As Mr Sisodia completed his speech, all legislators of the ruling AAP stormed into the well of the House, demanding the resignation of Mr Baijal.