Punjab govt to probe sports kit distribution irregularities during SAD rule

The Punjab government will probe the alleged irregularities in distribution of gym equipment and sports kits worth ₹30 crore during the previous Shiromani Akali

The Punjab government will probe the alleged irregularities in distribution of gym equipment and sports kits worth ₹30 crore during the previous Shiromani Akali Dal-Bharatiya Janata Party (SAD-BJP) government, sports minister Rana Gurmeet Singh Sodhi announced on Thursday.

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Sodhi said this during the question hour on the fifth day of the assembly’s budget session while responding to a question asked by Akali MLA Pawan Kumar Tinu regarding the facilities given to players in the current financial year. The inquiry was demanded by Congress MLA Kuljit Singh Nagra who said gym equipment and sports kits distributed during the SAD-BJP government were not to be found. “These are property of government and should be recovered,” he said.

Agreeing with the demand, Rana Sodhi said there were numerous reports and complaints of misappropriation of sports kits and gym equipment worth ₹30 crore distributed in the last year of the previous government. “There is no record as the kits were given to which sports clubs and on what basis. We will get have an inquiry conducted into these irregularities within 30 days,” he said.

ROADWAYS FLEET TO HAVE
25% ELECTRIC BUSES

Transport minister Razia Sultana said the transport department has made a provision for having 25% electric buses in the roadways fleet. “A provision in regard has been made in the electric vehicle (EV) policy which is ready. The approval of the state cabinet is awaited,” she said in response to a question asked by Jalandhar North MLA Avtar Singh Junior regarding the status of the EV policy and the total number of electric vehicles registered in the state in 2018-19.

When the minister put the number of EVs registered in 2018-19 at 105, the member suggested that the government needed to get proactive as the state was lagging behind in providing infrastructure for electric vehicles. “Many states have already set up the required infrastructure for these vehicles. We also need to make efforts to encourage use of electric vehicles,” he added, asking the minister to specify the time-frame for finalising the policy. Akali MLA Bikram Singh Majithia said the government should take the lead in use of EVs to tackle the problem of global warming.

‘19 NEW ITIs BEING STARTED’

Technical education and industrial training minister Charanjit Singh Channi said 19 new industrial training institutes (ITIs) are being opened in the state at ₹142 crore. “We have already received the money and the land was identified for almost all of them. These institutes will start functioning from the next academic session,” Channi said in a response to a query by Ghanaur legislator Madan Lal Jalalpur regarding the availability of funds to open an ITI in his constituency.

‘LOCUST DAMAGED
CROPS IN 2 VILLAGES’

Replying to a question on crops damaged by locust in Punjab, revenue, rehabilitation and disaster management minister Gurpreet Singh Kangar said due to locust attack, 10-20% crop was damaged on 550 acres of land at Bare Ka village and 450 acres at Roop Nagar village of Fazilka district. Kotkapura MLA Kultar Singh Sandhwan also asked about steps being taken to compensate the farmers whose crops were damaged in locust attack. The minister said no relief is paid for the loss of crops up to 25%.