Delhi LG asks Arvind Kejriwal to release Rs 212 crore education grant 'pending' for 2 years

NEW DELHI: Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena on Tuesday has asked chief minister Arvind Kejriwal to release Rs 383.74 crore due to the city's municipal corporations under education and health heads. A total of Rs 212.29 crore education grant has been "unfairly" withheld by the Urban Development Department, the highest shortfall in grants among all three plan heads listed in the LG office letter.

Saxena's office said the Delhi Lt Governor has asked for immediate release of the fund relating to education and health, pending for two years.

In a letter addressed to the Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, Saxena wrote, “Holding the fund without any reason was adversely impacting primary education and health in Delhi.”

A total of Rs 383.74 crore for the year 2020-21 and 2021-22 under the plan heads of urban development, education and medical has not been released to the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) by the Urban Development Department of Government of NCT of Delhi (GNCTD).

As against the revised budget estimate approved for Rs 3,768.64 crore under the plan heads (urban development, education and medical) during the financial years 2020-21 and 2021-22 only Rs 3,384.90 crore was released resulting in a shortfall of Rs 383.74 crore, the letter said.

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Of the revised budget estimate approved for Rs 2,617.67 crore, only Rs 2,405.38 crore was released for education, resulting in a shortfall of Rs 212.29 crore, highest among all the three plan heads.

The budget estimates were voted and approved by the Delhi Legislative Assembly and it was incumbent upon the Urban Development Department to timely release the funds to the MCDs. “However, it was not done despite several requests and due to non-release of funds the provision of various public services by MCD is being adversely impacted causing inconvenience to the citizens of Delhi,” it stated.

The Delhi LG said that these grants are “unfairly withheld” and urged the Delhi government to release the grant immediately.

On August 29, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) alleged a scam in the Delhi education department. The BJP said that the city government hiked the construction cost by Rs 326 crore, 53 percent more than the original tender amount, without floating a new tender.