Delhi Jal Board crippled over years by inaction, paucity of funds, alleges AAP

The Delhi Jal Board has received only Rs 473 crore of Rs 7,195 crore allocated to it in the 2024-25 budget, according to official documents, a source from the Aam Aadmi Party said.

The curtailed disbursal has crippled the DJB's ability to address essential infrastructure, they said.

Documents show that Rs 1,122 crore has been received so far in this fiscal -- remainder carried forward from the past fiscal - of the entire allocation approved by the Delhi Legislative Assembly, Lieutenant Governor, and Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).

Before January 2023, the DJB used to demand the allocated budget in installments by attaching a certificate of expenditure. Usually about 95 per cent of the amount would be released to it in proportion to the demand, according to the documents.

The Delhi Jal Board has been crippled over the years by endless questions by the Finance Department and inaction, the AAP said.

Delhi's Finance and Water Minister Atishi said it is true that there is a problem in the amount released by the Finance Department to the Delhi Jal Board.

"Due to this, many works of public interest are coming to a standstill, this is true. But we are fighting for the public at every level. Since the 'Services' Department is not with the Delhi Government, we do not have direct control over the officials. Still, we will continue to get the work of the people of Delhi done by resorting to every available option," she said.

In 2023-24, 7,375 crore was allocated to the DJB, however, despite Atishi writing to the Finance Department, no funds were released, sources said.

The Delhi government had to approach the Supreme Court, following which some funds were released.

In 2023-24, the DJB demanded money in installments from the Finance Department several times, but it released only Rs 4,573.91 crore.

In 2022-23, Rs 7,607 crore was allocated to DJB but it received only about Rs 4,572 crore in various items.

Similarly, in 2021-22, a budget of 3,271.50 crore was allocated and about 3,061.77 crore was released to the water body.

Sources also said that no new sewer pipelines are being laid and sewers are not being cleaned because of paucity of funds.