The DAVP rates are one-third of the commercial market advertisement rates. Supreme Court appointed BB Tandon committee in its report had observed that had these advertisements been issued at the market rate, AAP would have spent Rs854 crores to place these ads.
While Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal says he does not even has the power to buy a pen in the state which is under the control of Lieutenant Governor, government documents reveal that in the past over 18 months, his government has spent over Rs300 crores from the Delhi's exchequer for his personal and party publicity.
Both Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) and Supreme Court appointed three member committee has slammed Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) for misusing public funds. The advertisement issued by the government for publicity of AAP, if were issued on non DAVP rates would have incurred a cost of Rs854 crores to AAP. The opposition has appealed to the L-G to recover the money from AAP for misusing its official position.
The DAVP rates are one-third of the commercial market advertisement rates. Supreme Court appointed BB Tandon committee in its report had observed that had these advertisements been issued at the market rate, AAP would have spent Rs854 crores to place these ads.
Ironically while on the publicity overdrive, not only did Kejriwal made false claims about the achievements of his government but also went on to spend 85 per cent of this publicity funds in placing these advertisements in newspapers outside Delhi. Rs285.67 crores of over Rs334 crores has been spent from government exchequer in placing the advertisements in small regional publications. The payments were made on the government rates decided by the DAVP.
Against the government's publicity spent of Rs14.5 crores in the year 2014-15, AAP in its one and a half years tenure in Delhi has spent Rs334.9 crores for publicity, a whopping increase by 1,438 percent.
Both Tandon committee and CAG, which had submitted its report last month had observed that these advertisement were propagating falsehood and were misleading the people of Delhi about the claims being made by the Delhi government.
"Can the Congress or any other political party enjoy placing advertisement in the newspapers at one third price?" questioned Delhi Congress Chief Ajay Maken. Maken also said that Delhi government and Delhi L-G should recover the amount of Rs 854 crore from AAP.
The Congress party had been contesting AAPs misuse of public funds for the past one and a half year. It was only after 24 court hearings in one year and 10 affidavits by the Congress and four counter affidavits by the AAP led Delhi Government that the Tandon committee had highlighted the violations of AAP.
The Congress party will now write to Delhi Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung to expedite the recovery process. "Rs854 crore can be used for constructing 4000 mohalla clinics and 16 hospitals. The money should be brought back to benefit the people of Delhi," added Maken.
While the Congress claims victory, AAP on Saturday called it a conspiracy of the BJP and Congress against them. AAP has also questioned the neutrality of the Tandon committee. "It is another ploy to defame Kejriwal. The Congress made a complaint and the BJP came to lend its support to the report," said AAP spokesperson Ashutosh.
Total spending on publicity and ads in Delhi
(extracts of Government Budget documents)
Year 2014-15 Rs 14.5 crore (President's Rule)
2015-16 Rs127.18 crore (AAP Government)
2016-17 Rs 207.73 crore (AAP Government)
*85% of total spending during AAP Government = Rs. 284.67 (spent on Ads outside Delhi)
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