New Delhi: A Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report on the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC), tabled by Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta in the Assembly on Monday, highlighted operational inefficiencies and financial losses, leading to criticism of the previous Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government.
The report evaluates DTC's key operational and financial aspects, pointing to inefficiencies and areas needing improvement. It examines fleet management, revenue generation, operational sustainability, and adherence to public transport policies.
Following the tabling of the CAG report, BJP MLA Harish Khurana slammed the previous AAP government, accusing it of mismanaging the public transport system, which resulted in financial losses and a decline in DTC's bus fleet.
Khurana, in the Delhi Assembly session, pointed out that while AAP had promised 11,000 new buses in 2013-15, the number of DTC buses decreased from 4,344 in 2015 to 3,937.
He further alleged that under former Chief Minister Madan Lal Khurana, DTC was profitable, but under AAP, the corporation's overall losses surged to Rs 8,498.33 crore, increasing by Rs 5,000 crore during AAP's tenure.
Highlighting the revenue decline, he stated that DTC's operating income dropped from Rs 914 crore when AAP took power to Rs 558 crore. He also alleged financial irregularities, questioning why the AAP government allotted 3.18 lakh square meters of DTC land to private cluster buses without collecting Rs 225 crore in rent.
Furthermore, he slammed the administration for failing to procure new buses despite having Rs 223 crore in 2022 for the Delhi Transport Department.
Khurana credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi's intervention for providing electric buses to Delhi, stating that 1,770 CNG buses had exceeded their operational age but were not replaced by the AAP government.
Earlier in the day, the Delhi Legislative Assembly convened for its Budget Session, ahead of which CM Gupta prepared the ceremonial 'Kheer'. The first budget of the newly elected Delhi government will also be presented today.
Marking a unique start to the financial proceedings, the newly elected Chief Minister extended her gratitude to those involved in the budget-making process.
The budget session, running from March 24 to March 28 with provisions for extension, marks an important moment for the BJP government, which returned to power after 27 years in the recent 2025 Delhi Legislative Assembly election.
The BJP government tabled two CAG reports on the now-scrapped excise policy and the healthcare system of the national capital during the first assembly session last month.
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta will move a motion to elect nine members each for the Committee on Public Accounts, Committee on Estimates, and Committee on Government Undertakings.
This election will be crucial in shaping the financial governance of the National Capital Territory of Delhi.
These presentations and discussions demonstrate the Delhi Assembly's commitment to addressing key issues affecting the national capital territory.
The Budget Session is a crucial period in the legislative calendar, during which key financial and policy matters will be discussed and decided upon. The session is tentatively scheduled to run from March 24 to March 28, 2025, with provisions for extension if required.
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