The AAP Government did not go to the EFC and the Cabinet because the tender was brought with restricted norms as these norms could keep away the other interested bidders—Arvinder Singh Lovely.

NEW DELHI/PRESS RELEASE/AAJ KI DELHI.

· Former Delhi Ministers Shri Arvinder Singh Lovely, Dr A.K.Walia and Shri Haroon Yusuf challenge the AAP Government in Delhi that if it does not disclose the name of the private company with which the public sector company has a tie-up for the installation of the CCTV cameras in Delhi within 24 hours, then the Congress party will expose the name of the private company the AAP Government was trying to favour. · The AAP Government did not go to the EFC and the Cabinet because the tender was brought with restricted norms as these norms could keep away the other interested bidders—Arvinder Singh Lovely. · If the AAP Government comes out with clean hands through the CBI in the CCTV camera scam, then the Congress party will apologise to them or else the AAP Government should seek a public apology from the people of Delhi for misleading and misguiding them, and resign from the Government—Arvinder Singh Lovely. · The AAP Government in Delhi indulges only in blame games as it does not do any practical work. Precautions need to be taken while installing the CCTV cameras as every house will come under the radar of the CCTV cameras—Dr A.K.Walia. · The CCTV camera tender is a clear violation of GFR. The GFR is above the Minister and the Government and those Ministers and bureaucrats who went to jail across the country were for the violation of GFR—Arvinder Singh Lovely. · There was great anomaly in the CCTV camera tender as the AMC was finalized before the Cabinet approved it and why these dramas were enacted to favour which private bidder—Haroon Yusuf. NEW DELHI, May 9—Former Delhi Ministers Shri Arvinder Singh Lovely, Dr A.K.Walia and Shri Haroon Yusuf declared in unequivocal terms here today that if the Aam Aadmi Party Government did not disclose the name of the private company with which the public sector company has a tie-up for the installation of the CCTV cameras in Delhi within 24 hours, then the Congress party will expose the name of the private company which the AAP government was trying to extend benefits through the medium of the public sector company. Shri Arvinder Singh Lovely challenged the AAP Government in Delhi to initiate a CBI inquiry in the CCTV camera scam. He said that if the AAP Government comes out with clean hands through the CBI in this matter, then the Congress party will apologise to them or else the AAP Government should seek a public apology from the people of Delhi for misleading and misguiding them, and resign from the Government. Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee president Shri Ajay Maken at a press conference on Monday had exposed a major scam related to the award of contract for the installation of CCTV cameras in Delhi as the project was marred by corruption. Shri Maken had disclosed that the tender for AAP Government’s Rs 571.40 crore CCTV camera project was cleared by the PWD without taking Cabinet approval. He said the Request For Proposal (RFP) for the project was invited without the approval from the competent authority and the tender was also finalized without it. Referring to the minutes of the Expenditure Finace Committee (EFC) meeting on April 5, 2018 Shri Maken said that the Government had increased the project’s cost from Rs 130 crore to Rs 571.40 crore and relaxed bidding conditions which indicates a big scam. Shri Maken had noted that the initial cost for the project decided in October 2015 was for Rs 130 crore, but the cost was hiked to Rs 571.40 crore after the first tender in November 2017, which was cancelled. He said on February 6, 2018 a fresh tender with modified conditions and escalated cost of Rs 571.40 crore was invited, in which 44% (Rs 250 crore) was set aside for the maintenance of the CCTV cameras. AAP Minister Shri Gopal Rai, instead of replying to the points raised by Shri Maken, had leveled personal allegations against the DPCC president yesterday. Addressing a joint press conference at the DPCC office, Rajiv Bhawan here today, Shri Arvinder Singh Lovely, Dr A.K.Walia and Shri Haroon Yusuf said if Shri Arvind Kejriwal and his AAP Government did not disclose the name of the private bidder, which it was trying to favour, within 24 hours the Delhi Congress will expose the name. Shri Lovely said the AAP Government did not go to the EFC and the Cabinet as the tender was brought with restricted norms as these norms could keep away the other interested bidders. He said the AAP Minister had claimed yesterday that it was a policy decision, but tender is not floated on policy decision. He said tender is floated on the approval of the Cabinet and EFC and policy decision cannot say the tender will be for this much amount, the tender will cost this much amount and the tender will be given to such and such company. And such people are telling the Congress about the rule book as the AAP Government needs to do its home work properly before blaming others. Shri Lovely said like the CCTV camera tender issue, tender of the Education Department for Rs 200 crore was pending with the Government and there is one nodal agency in the Delhi Government which is the IT department whose recommendations and examinations are required for installation of CCTV cameras. It is pertinent to mention here that the IT department was a member in the EFC. He also wanted to know what is feasible—either to purchase 400 cameras in one go or 200 cameras each in two installments. Shri Lovely challenged the AAP Government in Delhi to initiate a CBI inquiry in the CCTV camera scam. He said that if the AAP Government comes out with clean hands through the CBI in this matter, then the Congress party will apologise to them or else the AAP Government should seek a public apology from the people of Delhi for misleading and misguiding them, and resign from the Government. Shri Lovely said that Dr Walia has been the longest-serving Finance and PWD Minister in the history of the Delhi Government and perhaps no political figure in Delhi knows better than him about GFR and norms for tender. Similarly, Shri Haroon Yusuf has been the development minister of Delhi for a long time while Lovely himself has been the Urban Development Minister and Transport Minister of the Delhi Government, and so they have a clear knowledge about tender norms and the policy of the Governmet in such matters. Shri Lovely said it was unfortunate that they have to reply to such a Minister of the AAP Government about rule book about which he himself has little knowledge. Refuting the allegation by Shri Rai that the Congress party wants to delay the work on the CCTV camera project, Shri Arvinder Singh Lovely said the Cabinet passed the project in 2015 and the concerned department floated tender for the project in 2017, and then blaming the Congress party for the delay in the project. He said there was a set procedure in the Government that before any tender is considered, it has to be brought before the EFC (Expenditure Finance Committee) and if the tender is for above Rs 100 crore, then even the EFC is not empowered as the Cabinet examines it. He said as for AMC (Annual Maintenance Charges), there are special General Finance Rules as “the terms of a contract, including the scope and specification once entered into, should not be materially varied”. He said the GFR is above any Minister or any Government and those Ministers and bureaucrats in the country who went to jail mostly related to violation of GFR. He said the CCTV camera tender was a clearcut violation of GFR. He said the norms specify that the detailed version of the AMC should be ready before tender, like what resources the company will put, how many people will be involved, if the cameras are broken or vandalised, how many days it would take them to be repaired, etc. Shri Lovely alleged that the tender document was not brought to the EFC because there were such norms in the tender document which was intended to favour some particular companies the AAP Government wanted to oblige. He said the Government has set norms that after the technical committee and EFC, it is taken to the Cabinet to examine the tender conditions. Dr A.K Walia said that on 13 October, 2015 the Cabinet had decided that the Public Works Department will implement the project of installation of CCTV cameras throughout Delhi. Accordingly, a Committee was constituted under Chief Engineer (South), PWD with representatives from DSIDC, IT Department, Home-II Department to finalise the specifications of CCTV cameas alongwith associated equipment accessories for floating RFP and for preparing rate contract of each item, including installation, AMC etc. He said the report of the committee came two years later on 3-10-2017. And after the report came, instead of taking it to Expenditure (Finance), it was directly approved. The first tender was floated in November 2017 in which only one bidder qualified for the tender and therefore it was rejected. The second tender was floated on 9th January, 2018. Then a meeting was called on 6 February in which all the approvals were given. After that they went to the EFC which said that without its approval, this decision should not have been taken. He said on 5 April, 2018 a meeting of the EFC was held in which it was said that the Principal Secretary, PWD apprised the committee that this being a security centric project, and the PWD having no direct liaison with Citizen Groups, another agency who can coordinate with police as well as Citizen Groups and Discoms, preferably the Revenue Department, may be included as a stakeholder for the project. PWD will be the work executing agency. But it was not finalized who will look after the cameras after their installation. He said the whole project should have been carefully studied before working out plans. Dr Walia thanked the Lt. Governor for constituting a committee under the Principal Secretary (Home) for setting up a high-level committee to prepare a common framework for installing, operating and monitoring the CCTV cameas in Delhi which will workout the nitty gritty. He said the AAP Government has only indulged in blame-games and did no pratical work. He said proper precaution needs to be taken as the CCTV cameras will be installed all over Delhi and every house will come under its observation and he was confident that the committee constituted by the LG will frame proper norms for the installation of the cameras and what are the norms followed in foreign countries. Shri Haroon Yusuf said there was great anomaly in the CCTV camera tender as the AMC was finalized before the Cabinet approved it and wondered why these dramas were being enacted to benefit which private bidder. He said Arvind Kejriwal and his Government should reveal within 24 hours that which private company it was favouring or else the Delhi Congress will disclose the name of the company.