PSPCL-funded ‘Badal fiefdom’ was drain on exchequer

Varinder Singh

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, June 28

The picturesque Lake View Guest House renovated by the PSPCL for the comfortable stay of the Badal clan in 2013 was a drain on the exchequer.

A proverbial ‘White Elephant,’ less than two dozen VVIP guests could stay in it during the past five years largely due to ‘tight control’ exercised by the Badals.

An overzealous PSPCL top brass renovated its old lake view rest house for Rs 7.25 crore in 2013 when the public sector outfit was facing an acute resource crunch.

The renovation was sanctioned and initiated when the PSPCL was defaulting on payments to the Northern Regional Load Dispatch Centre for overdrawing power for paddy season. An amount of Rs 5.5 crore was released as the first instalment towards the project.

This was done although the PPSCL already had a vast Field Hostel for facilitating the stay of dignitaries.

The hostel — which has a temporary helipad — was virtually discarded and converted into the offices of the SE (Operations) and other officials.

The Badal family had such a say on their favourite guest house that even VVIPs and VIPs were not allowed to stay there. Permission permits were allegedly issued only from the offices of the then CM Prakash Singh Badal and his deputy Sukhbir Badal.

As such, just 23 guests could stay there between 2014 -17. It remained empty in 2014-15 whereas, only 10 guests managed to utilise it in 2015-16. During 2016-17 only 13 guests were allowed to enjoy the hospitality of the facility studded with Italian marble and costly decorative lighting.

While an income of Rs 96,000 was realised during the past four-five years, Rs 57 lakh was spent on its maintenance, the PSPCL sources revealed.

Since the advent of the Congress government in March, only Finance Minister Manpreet Badal used the guest house on two occasions.

The Congress regime has initiated a process to ease reservation norms by vesting the VVIP guest house reservation powers with the PSPCL CMD Venu Prasad. “Now, any VVIP or VIP would be able to stay in the guest house after intimating the CMD’s office,” said Thermal Plant Chief Engineer VK Garg.

A committee would meet on Thursday to fix rent for the stay of VVIPs, VIPs and senior officers. The guest house would also be open for private persons, PSPCL sources said.

Rs 7.25 crore spent on renovation 

• An overzealous PSPCL top brass renovated its old Lake View Guest House for Rs 7.25 crore in 2013 when the public sector outfit was facing an acute resource crunch 
• The renovation was sanctioned and initiated when the PSPCL was defaulting on payments to the Northern Regional Load Dispatch Centre for overdrawing power for paddy season