Rajwinder Thiara new JIT chairperson

Senior AAP leader Rajwinder Kaur Thiara has been appointed as the chairperson of the Jalandhar Improvement Trust (JIT), replacing Jagtar Singh Sanghera, a long-time party loyalist and state spokesperson since 2016.

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The party has appointed Dr Jasbir, Harcharan Singh Sandhu and Atam Prakash Bablu as trustees of the JIT.

Thiara, the party’s in-charge for Jalandhar Cantt, had previously served as a state secretary for AAP, Punjab, and was recently appointed Chairperson of the Punjab Container Warehouse Corporation. However, she never formally assumed the role and, last month, the party reassigned the position to Dr Sukhwinder Kumar Sukhi — a two-time MLA from Banga and former president of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) — who had recently switched from SAD to the ruling party.

Following her appointment, Thiara expressed gratitude to AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal and Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, pledging to work with dedication. "In Aam Aadmi Party, every worker is valued and respected and everyone receives the rewards of their hard work," she said.

"With the inspiration of Arvind Kejriwal and Bhagwant Mann, I will move forward to fulfil the responsibilities entrusted to me."

Meanwhile, her appointment comes at a critical time for JIT, which has been struggling with financial distress and legal troubles. Recently, the District Consumer Commission summoned the previous JIT Chairman over the Trust’s failure to comply with execution orders in nearly 200 cases. The unresolved issues, amounting to Rs 53 crore, involve allottees of three failed residential schemes — Indra Puram Master Gurbanta Singh Enclave (2006), Bibi Bhani Complex (2010) and Surya Enclave Extension (2011, relaunched in 2016).

For many affected allottees, Thiara’s appointment brings a renewed hope. Manohar Lal Sehgal, who has yet to receive his refund despite winning a case in the District Consumer Commission, expressed optimism. "We have suffered for years, but with her experience and position in the party, we believe she can finally resolve the issues of Surya Enclave Extension and other stalled projects," he said.