CAG Report Highlights Flaws in Delhi's Old Excise Policy: AAP Defends Reforms

A recent CAG report presented in the Delhi Assembly scrutinizes the city’s excise policy between 2017 and 2021. AAP's Atishi argues the findings affirm corruption in the old policy, which the AAP government had previously flagged and rectified. The report reveals the state suffered losses exceeding Rs 2,000 crore.

The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report on Delhi's excise policy, presented in the Delhi Assembly, has ignited a political debate. Delhi's Leader of Opposition and AAP leader Atishi defended former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's government, highlighting that the earlier policy's flaws had been long acknowledged by AAP, leading to the development of a revised excise policy.

At a press conference, Atishi criticized the old policy for enabling illegal liquor sourcing from neighboring states, causing financial losses to Delhi. She asserted that under the previous policy, illicit trade from Haryana and UP resulted in considerable economic damage, reinforcing that the AAP's decision to overhaul the policy was justified.

Further revelations from the report include allegations of widespread corruption in liquor sales. Atishi remarked that contractors engaged in over 28 per cent corruption, with profits siphoned by brokers. The audit points to a systemic failure within the Excise Department, leading to over Rs 2,000 crore in losses under the 2021-2022 policy. The report, covering the 2017 to 2021 period, is among 14 pending CAG reports on AAP's governance.