Restructure PSIEC, re-examine plot re-allotments, vigilance tells industries dept

The vigilance department recommended restructuring and re-engineering of the Punjab Small Industries and Export Corporation for better accountability and transparency, besides seeking re-examination of the re-allotment of old industrial plots done by the corporation in the past 10 years.

The vigilance department recommended restructuring and re-engineering of the Punjab Small Industries and Export Corporation (PSIEC) for better accountability and transparency, besides seeking re-examination of the re-allotment of old industrial plots done by the corporation in the past 10 years.

The draft industrial policy was circulated to about a dozen departments nearly four months ago. (HT File Photo)

The vigilance department made these suggestions to the industries and commerce department during the formulation of the ‘Industrial and Business Development Policy (IBDP), 2022’ notified by principal secretary, industries and commerce, Dilip Kumar on February 8 this year after it was approved by the state cabinet. The vigilance department based its recommendations on the comments received from the vigilance bureau (VB), which looking into plot allotments by PSIEC and also registered a criminal case against some officials of the corporation in connection with the bifurcation of an industrial plot for setting up a township in Mohali. The draft policy was circulated to about a dozen departments nearly four months ago.

The vigilance department from which comments on the draft industrial policy were sought for the first time recommended that an independent third party study of PSIEC should be carried by a reputed consultant to bring in reforms in its processes, officials privy to the communication said. They said the department also suggested the re-examination of the re-allotment of old industrial plots done by PSIEC in the past 10 years by a high-powered committee and a cap on the number of industrial plots that can an individual or family can get allotted, but these recommendations were not related to the industrial policy.

It also said that PSIEC’s plot allotment policy should be fixed and there should be no ad-hocism or arbitrary changes. Another suggestion was that unutilised government land or village common land should not be arbitrarily given to PSIEC for allotment and instead the state-level steering committee (SLSC) should decide on such matters with adequate representation of panchayat or community in the decision-making. The industries department, which sent a detailed reply on the recommendations, said that such land (unutilised government or village common land) is sold to PSIEC through proper procedure and by following the relevant Acts and rules of department to which it belongs, one of the officials quoted above said.

Multi-departmental panels, vigilance clearance certificate

The vigilance department, while stressing on the need for departmental or multi-departmental panel of officers to handle investment/business proposals at every stage, said that decisions should not be left to discretion of individual officers at any level to avoid chances of corruption and harassment. Another suggestion was that centralised mechanism for environmental clearance and pollution control certification should be provided to prevent corruption at local or junior levels of forest department and PPCB, making the two departments part of SLSC for project approval. It said that vigilance clearance certificate may be made mandatory before the approval of any project. “Invest Punjab Business First Portal is a single window portal integrated with the online portal of forest department and PPCB. The respective departments can formulate a separate mechanism to prevent corruption at junior level or local level,” industries department officials replied, asking the vigilance department to suggest a suitable officer to be part of the state-level steering committee for approval of projects. There was also a suggestion that land should be acquired and allotted only on lease for initial period of 30 years with provisions for further extension and mechanism to take the land back if the declared purpose of setting up business or industry is not realised within two to five years, but the industries department informed that all the plots auctioned by PSIEC are currently on leasehold basis for 99 years and the provision of resumption of plots increase of non-production is already provided in the land allotment policy of the corporation.