New Delhi, Oct 16 (PTI) BJP leader Vijender Gupta on Wednesday alleged that the AAP government has managed to spend only 23.63 per cent of its annual budget 2019-20 for implementation of various schemes, programmes and projects.

Citing "official" figures in a press conference, he also accused the AAP government for being "slow" in expenditure on development while spending "Rs 100 crore" on publicity per month in view of Assembly polls due early next year.

No reaction was available immediately from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).

"As per the information available on the government website, it has been able to spend only 23.63 per cent of the budget outlay," said Gupta, who is Leader of Opposition in Delhi Assembly.

Gupta claimed that the expenditure on many development-related sectors was not more than 20 per cent of the budgetary allocation, even as the third quarter of the current financial year has started.

"For

instance, under labour welfare, an allocation of Rs 321 crore was made out of which the government has been able to spend only Rs 3.17 crore which comes to 0.99 per cent.

"An allocation of Rs 163 crore was made for agriculture and allied services. But the government has been able to spend only Rs 3.46 crore (2.12 per cent). The important sector of housing saw an allocation of Rs 133 crore while the government could spend only Rs 10 crore or just 7.52 per cent of the allocation," said the BJP leader.

Saying that the model code of conduct for the Assembly elections due early next year could be in place in next two-and-half months, he stated it "seemed impossible" that the Delhi government will be able to spend the remaining 76 per cent of the budget.

He charged that the government is focusing more on publicity in view of approaching elections than development of Delhi.

"The AAP government is on a publicity spree and spending Rs 100 crore every month in view of elections. This will continue till the model code of conduct is in place," he said.

The press conference was attended by BJP MLAs O P Sharma, Jagdish Pradhan, and other leaders, including Kapil Mishra, Anil Bajpai, Devender Sehrawat and media head Ashok Goel.

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