Govt seeks report of irregularities in LIT during Congress regime

Kuldip Bhatia

Ludhiana, April 21

The Department of Local Government, Punjab, has sought a detailed (para-wise) report of financial and other irregularities committed in the Ludhiana Improvement Trust (LIT) during the Congress regime under the tenure of the then chairman Raman Balasubramanium.

In an office memo (dated April 1, 2022) to the Deputy Commissioner-cum-Chairman of the LIT, it has been stated that a para-wise report on irregularities and scams in 

the Trust committed during the previous regime, as alleged in the complaint filed by Ludhiana-based RTI Activist Arvind Sharma, be sent to the government soon.

In his complaint lodged with the state government on March 19, 2022, Sharma had alleged that corruption had crossed all limits during the tenure of Congress-appointed LIT chairman Raman Balasubramanium.

He has asserted that massive financial and procedural irregularities were committed in allotment of plots, especially to locally displaced persons (LDPs), transfer of ownership of properties and plots, registration of sale deeds, sale of Trust properties and construction of roads as well as execution of other development projects during the past two years.

Sharma had said massive amount of public funds were squandered on carrying out unnecessary works of cosmetic nature, construction of roads and other development projects where poor workmanship and use of substandard material were allowed without any check by field staff or their supervisory officials, under political pressure.

In the complaint, he had demanded a thorough probe into all misdeeds of the previous chairman and to fix responsibility of Ludhiana Improvement Trustofficials, who had caused lost to the exchequer under political pressure.

Notably, the Vigilance wing of the Local Government Department, Punjab, had already taken up inquiry of as many as 18 specific complaints in the working of the LIT and a team of officials, led by the Chief Vigilance Officer, had already taken files and relevant records pertaining to these complaints in their possession  in a raid on the LIT office here earlier this month.

Massive irregularities committed: RTI activist

Ludhiana-based RTI activist Arvind Sharma has alleged that massive financial and procedural irregularities were committed in allotment of plots, especially to locally displaced persons (LDPs), transfer of ownership of properties and plots, registration of sale deeds, sale of Trust properties and construction of roads as well as execution of other development projects during the past two years.

Vigilance wing probing complaints

The Vigilance wing of the Local Government Department, Punjab, had already taken up inquiry of 18 specific complaints in the working of the LIT and a team of officials, led by the Chief Vigilance Officer, had already taken files and relevant records pertaining to these complaints in their possession in a raid on the LIT office here earlier this month.

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