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The speaker, in a statement to the members, said it is evident that the CAG’s Performance Audit Report on Regulation and Supply of Liquor in Delhi has brought out grave irregularities in the implementation of the excise policy by the Aam Aadmi Party government
The speaker added that he has directed the assembly secretariat to immediately forward the report to the concerned departments. (File image/PTI)
As the Delhi assembly held a detailed discussion on the CAG report on the now-scrapped excise policy, speaker Vijender Gupta on Thursday ordered further investigation into the matter “so that the guilty are punished”.
The speaker, in a statement to the members, said it is evident that the CAG’s Performance Audit Report on Regulation and Supply of Liquor in Delhi has brought out grave irregularities in the implementation of the excise policy by the Aam Aadmi Party government.
“The report has brought out in detail how the public exchequer incurred huge losses so that private firms could profit illegally at the expense of the government,” Gupta added.
The speaker said he has no doubt that the House is of the unanimous view that this matter should be examined and concluded at the earliest so that “the guilty are punished”.
“As per established parliamentary procedure the report will be examined in detail by the Public Accounts Committee of the Delhi assembly and they should submit their report within a period of three months,” Gupta said.
He also added that he has directed the assembly secretariat to immediately forward the report to the concerned departments.
“The para wise comments and Action Taken Notes of the Excise Department should be submitted within one month positively,” the statement added.
The audit was conducted for the period 2017-2021, and the report pointed out “glaring irregularities” in this time before the implementation of the new excise policy, also during this period, Gupta said.
The report, he added, highlighted violations in the award of licences, lack of transparency in IMFL (Indian-made foreign liquor) pricing, inadequate quality control, weak regulatory functioning, and poor execution of enforcement activities.
According to the report, the implementation of the now-scrapped excise policy resulted in the loss of Rs 2,002 crore to the government: Rs 890 crore due to failure to re-tender surrendered licences, Rs 941 crore due to exemptions, Rs 144 crore due to the waiver of licence fees, and Rs 27 crore due to incorrect collection of security deposit.