Qila Mubarak: Govt marks inquiry into fund bungling

Gagan K Teja

Tribune News Service

Patiala, April 28

The Punjab government has marked an inquiry into the funds that had been received from the Centre for the renovation of historical Qila Mubarak as the Finance Department suspects some bungling of the funds by the previous SAD-BJP government.

Though the Centre had sanctioned about Rs 38 crore for the renovation of ‘qila’ that was in dire need of renovation, it has been found that the government had diverted the funds to other projects during the sangat darshan by former Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and former deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal, following which the work of ‘qila’ that was being undertaken by the Indian National Trust for Arts and Cultural Heritage (NTACH) was getting delayed.

One of the officials informed that though the work of ‘qila’ renovation was underway, the government had not released the payments of three contractors who were working on different parts of the ‘qila’, including durbar hall, guest house (ranvaas), Qila Androon, outer walls and the main gate, since November, 2016, following which there is resentment among them.

He said “As the restoration of the Qila Mubarak is on, the state government has to file completion certificates with the Union Government which would then release more funds for its renovation. However, these certificates can be issued only after clearing the pending bills.” He said the way the work was progressing; it was expected to take about four more years to complete the work.

Raja Malvinder Singh, who is the representative of the Indian National Trust for Arts and Cultural Heritage (NTACH), confirmed that Punjab Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal had marked an inquiry following some siphoning of funds. However, what is the exact amount was yet to be ascertained.

Project far from completion

The two-member team of the National Culture Fund (NCF), set up by the Government of India, Ministry of Human Resource Development, Department of Culture, under the Charitable Endowments Act, 1890, to promote and preserve India’s tangible and intangible heritage in partnership with the community, visited Patiala’s historical Qila Mubarak in August 2013, to oversee the condition of the ‘qila’ and prepare a detailed report about the steps to be taken to restore the precious Qila. Moreover, a team of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) had prepared a report on the Qila Mubarak and Sheesh Mahal a few years ago and the Centre in the 13th Finance Commission had approved Rs 100 crore for Punjab for restoring historical places out of which Rs 45 crore was earmarked for Patiala, including Rs 38 crore for the Qila Mubarak and Rs 7 crore for Sheesh Mahal, but the projects still are far from completion.