Trusts come to rescue of cash-strapped JIT, provide Rs 100 cr

Tribune News Service

Rajpura, February 11

Ahead of the upcoming bypoll for the Jalandhar parliamentary seat, the state government has transferred funds worth crores from various improvement trusts to bail out the Jalandhar Improvement Trust (JIT), which had a debt of over Rs 100 crore. The trust’s stadium and even office had been pledged to the bank.

Poll gimmick

For the past almost 10 months, the govt did little for Jalandhar, but suddenly it has transferred funds from other trusts to Jalandhar. It is only a poll gimmick. Partap Bajwa, LOP

For development

The past governments paid no heed and took multiple loans. Our loans from other trusts are not due to the upcoming bypoll but to ensure development. JIT Chairman

Political observers say that the upcoming elections necessitated this move as JIT was cash-strapped to carry out development projects. Rajpura residents allege that while many roads need urgent repair and other works are pending, transferring Rs 3 crore of the total 6 crore from the Rajpura Trust defies logic.

The Jalandhar bypoll, dates of which are yet to be announced, was necessitated by the demise of Congress leader Santokh Singh Chaudhary last month.

Considering that the AAP lost its first Lok Sabha by-election from CM Bhagwant Mann’s Sangrur just three months after it was elected to power, the Jalandhar bypoll is being seen as a prestige battle for the ruling party.

While the JIT had taken a loan of Rs 150 crore, it had dues close to Rs 167 crore owing to the delay in payment. About two months ago, the government managed to avail a loan of Rs 50 crore each from the Ludhiana and Amritsar Trusts. A one-time settlement plan was worked out with the bank wherein Rs 112 crore was decided as the final payment amount.

Of the Rs 12 crore paid recently, only Rs 2 crore were paid from its own coffers while the remaining

Rs 5 crore came from the Ludhiana Trust, Rs 3 crore from Rajpura Trust and

Rs 2 crore from the Kartarpur Trust.

Taking a dig, Leader of the Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa said that the state government is a total fraud government which only knows 'event management'. He said the government had done nothing for the past 10 years and it is only a poll gimmick.

“The JIT has freed several properties, including Guru Gobind Singh Stadium, from the bank loan it had taken in 2017 to develop a residential scheme. Our loans are to ensure all round development of the district,” said Jagtar S Sanghera, JIT Chairman.

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