Chandigarh: Panchayat and Rural Development Minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal today said that a three member committee will probe into the scam of handing over prime panchayat land to colonisers by former Congress Minister Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa.
The Minister while addressing a press conference said that the former Rural Development Minister Bajwa had illegally allowed selling of Panchayat land in village Bhagtupura in district Amritsar even though Model Code of Conduct was in force. He said that the letter for this permission was issued on March 11,2022 whereas Congress was trounced badly in the results declared a day before. Dhaliwal said that the former Minister and Congress leader had no right to grant permission at that time.
The Minister said that these Panchayati pathways and water channels were creating a hindrance in Alfa International city colony which is spread over around 150 acres. He said that an Akali sarpanch had also moved a resolution for selling them in 2015. Dhaliwal said that former Congress Minister had connived with the coloniser and permitted selling of these pathways and water channels at meagre price of Rs 43 lakh per acre whereas the market rate was RS 7.5 crore.
The Minister said that water channels and path ways together constituted 32 kanal and 16 marle land adding that due to this permission state has suffered a loss of Rs 28 crore. He said that Bajwa had no authority as Model Code of Conduct was in place at that time. Dhaliwal said that a three member team including Assistant Development Commissioner Amit Kumar, Assistant Director Rural Development Sarabjit Singh and Senior Law Officer Joharinder Singh Ahluwalia will conduct the probe into the matter.
The Minister said that all the colonies developed in last 15 years will be scrutinised and government pathways will be cleared. He said that Punjab government has so far evicted 5500 acres of panchayti land from illegal occupation. Dhaliwal said that the Punjab government is committed for providing clean, corruption free and transparent administration to people.