Bank to launch loan recovery drive, Akali leader first on list

Archit Watts

Tribune News Service

Muktsar, December 12

As the state government has given a go ahead to the co-operative banks to recover their loan amount from all major defaulters, officials of Punjab Agricultural Development Bank (PADB) in Malout have decided to start the drive from SAD’s former Muktsar district chief Dyal Singh Kolianwali. They have planned to visit his residence on Wednesday for the recovery.

Kolianwali’s family owes about Rs 90 lakh to the PADB since a long time. However, due to his proximity with Badals, nobody had dared to recover the money from him during the SAD-BJP regime.

Speaking over the phone, a senior officer in the PADB, Malout, said the higher-ups had ordered the recovery of the outstanding loan amount from the defaulters and they would be visiting Kolianwali’s residence tomorrow.

It is learnt that there are nearly 50 major loan defaulters of various co-operative banks in the district.

Notably, Kolianwali is also a defaulter for the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) and the power meter from his residence, issued in the name of his son Parminder Singh, was removed in February this year for an outstanding Rs 23-lakh power bills, but he is yet to clear the dues.

Though the family had paid nearly Rs 14.3 lakh to the PSPCL in five installments, yet the remaining amount of about Rs 9 lakh is still to be paid. As a result, the electricity supply has not been resumed.

The SAD leader is getting the power supply on another portion of his palatial house through an electricity meter issued in his own name.

Parminder Singh, SDO, Abul Khurana, PSPCL, said, “The consumer had sought permission from senior officials in August to deposit the outstanding amount in six installments, of which two installments have been paid and four are yet to come.”

Sources said that the third installment was to be paid on October 14.

Repeated attempts to contact Dyal Singh Kolianwali proved futile.