Maluka ‘favour’ to cattle fair firm under scanner

Vishav Bharti

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 28

Former Punjab Minister for Rural Development and Panchayats Sikander Singh Maluka’s decision to extend the contract of a private firm managing cattle fairs in the state is under the scanner of the Capt Amarinder Singh government. The firm is believed to have benefited by Rs 4.5 crore.

Under the Punjab Cattle Fairs (Regulations) Act 1967, the Rural Development Department is responsible for holding more than 900 cattle trade fairs across the state. A contractor is entitled to charge 4 per cent of the total trading cost at each mandi. Sources said a Rs 51.56-crore yearly contract was awarded to a Rajpura firm for holding cattle fairs across the state, which was to end on April 30. Behind the scenes, the business was being managed by an Akali leader from Muktsar.

During demonetisation, pleading there was no business owing to the cash crunch, the contractors pushed the department to suspend the cattle fairs for two months. The government, however, suspended the fairs for a month. But the contractor was allowed to continue for another month without charging him any extra money. It was decided that instead of April 30, the contractor be allowed to continue till May 31.

Sources said the department officials contended that if there was no cattle trade in December, there were bound to be handsome bargains in January. But their view was disregarded. The contract was extended by another month at a cost of Rs 4.5 crore to the exchequer.

Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa, Minister for Rural Development and Panchayats, said: “We are examining the matter.” Maluka said he had favoured none. “The government is welcome to review the decision,” Maluka added.