New Delhi, March 27 (NationPress) Delhi Cabinet Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa stated in the Assembly on Friday that the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report related to the now-revoked excise policy has unveiled significant instances of "intentional policy manipulation" under the leadership of Arvind Kejriwal during his tenure.

In the Legislative Assembly discussions regarding the CAG report on the excise policy, Sirsa maintained that the findings, alongside the observations from the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), highlight serious shortcomings across various departments, with the excise policy being particularly glaring.

“The CAG report evidently shows that this was not a mere policy blunder but a calculated design. Irregularities have emerged in sectors ranging from education to healthcare, and from transport to power. Nonetheless, the excise policy is one of the most significant examples of financial mismanagement and policy manipulation,” Sirsa remarked.

The Minister pointed out that per the CAG report, Delhi incurred a revenue loss of approximately over Rs 2,000 crore from November 17, 2021, to August 31, 2022, which he attributed to misguided policy decisions that favored select private entities.

“This policy was structured to benefit a chosen few. The evidence suggests that the policy framework circumvented institutional protocols and was enforced upon the department,” he noted.

Sirsa also emphasized the structural alterations introduced in the policy that allegedly fostered market concentration: the reduction of wholesalers from 77 to 13, leading to monopolistic conditions, with three entities dominating nearly 77.7 percent of the IMFL market.

“A competitive market was transformed into a cartel-driven environment. This was a systematic attempt to seize control of the market,” the Minister asserted.

Furthermore, he highlighted serious concerns raised by the CAG report regarding the financial reliability of various entities granted licenses.

“It is astonishing that companies with minimal income, no profit history, or even negative net worth were permitted to operate in high-value zones. In certain instances, firms reporting losses of Rs 52 crore and Rs 37 crore were still allowed to function. This contradicts all established financial scrutiny norms,” he expressed.

Sirsa also critiqued the AAP government’s choice to waive Rs 144 crore in license fees during the pandemic, despite pushback from the Finance and Excise Departments. “Due to these concessions and their malicious intentions, the excise department faced substantial losses even with an increase in per bottle sales,” Sirsa stated.

“No individual, irrespective of their position, is above the law. The citizens of Delhi deserve transparency and justice. The revelations from the CAG and the discussions of the PAC have unveiled crucial facts. Those accountable for misusing public resources must face legal consequences,” he asserted.

The Minister alleged before the House that Arvind Kejriwal and the Aam Aadmi Party government in Punjab are attempting to replicate a similar alleged liquor scam in Punjab akin to that in Delhi.