With the state government’s coffers empty, grants worth Rs 3 crore announced by the chief minister, ministers and chief parliamentary secretaries (CPSes) for development works in Jalandhar district have not been released for some time.
CPSes Avinash Chander, KD Bhandari, Pawan Kumar Tinu and Som Parkash, health minister Surjeet Kumar Jyani, education minister Daljeet Singh Cheema, transport minister Ajit Singh Kohar, deputy speaker Dinesh Singh Babbu and chief minister Parkash Singh Badal have announced these grants in the past two months.
Bills worth Rs 62.48 lakh announced as grant by Jalandhar North MLA and CPS KD Bhandari were sent to the treasury department and the payments have not been released.
Further, bills worth Rs 29 lakh as grants announced by Adampur MLA and CPS Pawan Kumar Tinu, Rs 55 lakh by chief minister Parkash Singh Badal and Rs 9 lakh by education minister were also sent to the treasury after getting approval of the deputy commissioner but a not even single payment has been released so far.
As the release of grants has been stuck due to financial crisis, the bills of grants worth Rs 70 lakh announced by CPS Avinash Chander, Rs 1 lakh by Phagwara MLA Som Parkash, Rs 17 lakh by Surjeet Jayani, Rs 1 crore by Ajit Singh Kohar and Rs 3 lakh by Dinesh Singh have also got stuck.
{{/usCountry}}As the release of grants has been stuck due to financial crisis, the bills of grants worth Rs 70 lakh announced by CPS Avinash Chander, Rs 1 lakh by Phagwara MLA Som Parkash, Rs 17 lakh by Surjeet Jayani, Rs 1 crore by Ajit Singh Kohar and Rs 3 lakh by Dinesh Singh have also got stuck.
{{/usCountry}}A senior official said the ministers might have promised grants for development works to secure vote bank but the story is different on the ground.
Besides, other large payments are also pending in the treasury offices of the state government, he added.
He said the shortage of funds in the government coffers is a major reason behind the grants not being released.
“People, organisations or trusts to whom these politicians have announced grants call or visit our office repeatedly,” he said.
An organization that was announced grant said it is really unfortunate that ministers and CPSes announce grants despite the fact that government has no money.
The district development and panchayat office has written to the deputy commissioner over non-release of discretionary grants on Tuesday.
District treasury officer Kuldeep Sharma said the department had issued payments worth Rs 1 crore and others will also be released soon after clearance from Chandigarh.
Jalandhar district development and panchayat officer (DDPO) AS Gujral refused to comment over such development.
When contacted, CPS KD Bhandari said these grants are for development works and this money will be released soon even as there is some problem in treasury.
Deputy commissioner Kamal Kishore Yadav was unavailable for comments.