New Delhi, March 1 (IANS) Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee president Devender Yadav on Saturday condemned the Central government’s move to control Delhi through its officials, overlooking the voter’s mandate and reducing the elected BJP government to a puppet.
He said that the Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee will strongly oppose this undemocratic decision of the BJP-led Central Government to run the Delhi government through backseat driving.
He said that it was clear from the fact that at the behest of the Central government, the Finance Department of the Delhi Government issued an order on February 25, making its nod compulsory for the approval of all departmental expenses exceeding Rs 1 crore.
Yadav said that the office memorandum of August 7, 2019 issued by the Finance Department of the Delhi Government had said that the order was issued by the Lieutenant Governor, but now it has been issued by an official of the budget division.
He said that this shows that the Centre wants to run the Delhi government through the officials of the Prime Minister’s Office, overlooking the powers of the Lieutenant Governor holding a Constitutional post.
Yadav said that according to the office memorandum of August 7, 2019, the permission of the Finance Department was required only for expenditures and estimates of projects costing more than Rs 50 crore, while approval from EFC was required for schemes of more than Rs 100 crore.
The Delhi Congress chief said that due to the Assembly elections in the Financial Year 2024-25, the code of conduct was in force which reduced government spending compared to other years, and in such a situation, the latest order is clearly a conspiracy to promote corruption and control financial resources arbitrarily.
Yadav said that the BJP had promised to approve, in its very first Cabinet meeting, it election guarantee of transferring Rs 2,500 to the accounts of women, but the Delhi government has not yet implemented this promise.
He said that it is the right of the people of Delhi that the elected government works independently, but the BJP government at the Centre has now tried to run a Delhi government through the officials of the PMO by reducing the Delhi government as a mere puppet.
Emphasising the need for decentralisation of financial power, Yadav said that it is mandatory to ensure smooth, transparent and responsible regime, and financial decentralisation will accelerate the decision-making process, reduce administrative bottlenecks, promote transparency and accountability, and protect democratic values.
–IANS
rch/pgh
