To end the embarrassment of non-payment of power bills of the ancestral house of Shaheed Bhagat Singh and the memorial park in Khatkar Kalan set up after the martyr's name, the state government has finally agreed to bear the entire expenditure of maintenance of these properties, including the electricity bills.
Even as an announcement in this regard was made by chief minister Parkash Singh Badal on the martyrdom day of Bhagat Singh last year, electricity bills were still being sent in the name of the martyr's properties.
"Only this week, we have received orders that the state government has brought both these properties under the cultural cess collected by it. Now, not only the power bills but the maintenance of both these properties would also be taken care of by the cultural department of the state government," said Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar deputy commissioner Anindita Mittra.
According to sources, the pending electricity bills of the martyr's house amount to `2.50 lakh while the bills of the memorial park amount to over 12.25 lakh.
A week before the martyrdom day of Shaheed Bhagat Singh last year, the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) had disconnected the electricity supply to his ancestral house and the memorial park.
The administration had apprised the chief minister of lack of funds for the maintenance of the martyr's house and the memorial park, when he had come to attend a function at Khatkar Kalan village on March 23 last year.
A week before the martyrdom day of Shaheed Bhagat Singh last year, the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) had disconnected the electricity supply to his ancestral house and the memorial park.
The administration had apprised the chief minister of lack of funds for the maintenance of the martyr's house and the memorial park, when he had come to attend a function at Khatkar Kalan village on March 23 last year.
Despite the announcement made by the CM last year, the recent orders has come after the deputy commissioner made several representations to various offices in Chandigarh to get the files cleared.
Meanwhile, a state-level function would be organised on the birth annivarsry of the Bhagat Singh in his ancestral village tomorrow. All the four Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MPs would also pay floral tributes to the martyr on the occasion.