NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday issued a notice to the Principal Secretary (Finance) on a plea moved by the city government alleging that the official was not releasing funds to the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) despite being approved by the Assembly.
“My civil servants do not listen to me,” Delhi government’s counsel told a bench headed by CJI DY Chandrachud, adding that `1,927 crore is yet to be released for the DJB.
Senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi and advocate Shadan Farasat, appearing for the Delhi government, said the recent amendments in the services law have created a situation where the city bureaucrats are non-compliant with the orders by the elected government. “We will ask the Principal Secretary (Finance),” said the bench.
The bench did not issue notice to the office of L-G after taking note of the submissions of senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi that the L-G has no role in the disbursal of funds by the finance department of the Delhi government.
“He has no role to play. It is very strange. Petitioner is the Delhi government through the Minister of Water, who is also the Minister of Planning, also the Chairperson of the Jal Board. She holds all these posts and finance. The real respondent is her own secretary. I don’t know what kind of petition this is,” Rohatgi submitted.
Yet an amount of Rs 1,927 crore, approved by the Assembly, remains to be remitted to the DJB, Singhvi replied. A day before the plea was listed for hearing in the apex court, the finance secretary released Rs 760 crore on March 31, the Delhi government counsel said, adding that the funds were utilised in clearing pending bills.
The Delhi government said a total of Rs 4,578.15 crore has been received by the DJB for financial year 2023-24, inclusive of Rs 760 crore received on March 31 and Rs 1,927 crores was still outstanding.
Rohatgi said the L-G was not holding any funds and the same had to be released by the Finance Department of the Delhi government. “My secretaries don’t listen to me,” Singhvi said. “If your secretaries don’t listen to you, what should I do,” was Rohatgi’s reply.
The bench has posted the matter for hearing on April 5. Earlier on March 20, the AAP government had moved the top court over the issue of run-ins involving the bureaucracy and the AAP dispensation. The CJI had assured the AAP government that it can always order the release of funds meant for the DJB even after they lapse on March 31.
‘Rs 760 cr released, Rs 1,927 cr still pending’
The finance secretary has released Rs 760 crore on March 31, the Delhi government said, adding that the funds were utilised in clearing pending bills. The Delhi government said a total of Rs 4,578.15 crore has been received by the DJB for financial year 2023-24, inclusive of Rs 760 crore received on March 31 and `1,927 crores was still outstanding.