Khaira to file PIL against aid to Congress MP

Alleging embezzlement of public funds by waiving the industrial loan worth crores of rupees to local MP Rana Gurjit Singh by Punjab State Industrial Development Corporation (PSIDC), Sukhpal Khaira, president of Progressive Farmers Association and Congress leader said he would file a Public Interest Litigation against the illegal favour to Rana.

"Even the report of Comptroller Auditor General (CAG) of India has taken serious note of the illegal financial aid to few profit making industrialists under the scheme of one-time-settlement of industrial loan," Khaira said revealing that an amount of Rs 26.59 crore, which Rana Polypot, which Rana owns, was waived off by the PSIDC.

Khaira, who is known as an arch rival of Rana, said if the loan was not be recovered from Rana in the next couple of weeks, he would file a PIL in the high court on the issue.

Asked whether he saw the hand of the chief minister in the undue favour to Congress MP, Khaira said "sometimes even the chief minister does not know about such kind undue favours by bureaucracy".

Giving details about the alleged embezzlement of public funds, Khaira said in the year 2003, a scheme of one-time-settlement of industrial loan was launched for the sick industrial units but Rana Polypot Ltd and Rana Sugars Ltd were given undue consideration under the scheme inspite of the fact that these were profit making units.

Even the CAG in its report mentioned that one-time settlement policy introduced by the state government was deficient because financial health of the above mentioned units were not considered for covering it under the scheme.