Badals frame policies to serve their business interests: Khaira
Saturday, 16/05/2015
http://www.indiapress.org/gen/news.php/The_Tribune/
Chandigarh : While calling for an “urgent” need to adopt a ‘conflict of interest” law in Punjab, former MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira today accused the “extended Badal clan” of framing policies in most departments to serve their own business interests.
Khaira specifically cited the case of Food Minister Adesh Partap Kairon, who is the son-in-law of Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, alleging that his companies in the power sector were benefitting directly and getting contracts for laying power transmission system and in shifting of electricity meters outside houses in villages, especially as the Power Department was initially with the Chief Minister (when all contracts were awarded to Kairon). Kairon, however, when contacted by The Tribune, denied these charges, maintaining that his company, Shivalik Telecom, had not received any contract from the Punjab State Power Corporation for upgrading transmission network in the past almost a decade and none for shifting of meters in the past two years.
“Work is allotted by the PSPCL on the basis of an e-tender and it’s not just the lowest bidder but several bidders who are allotted a contract to avoid monopolisation,” added the minister.
Khaira, without naming the member of the ruling party, claimed that the entire master plan of New Chandigarh was being designed to serve the interests of a luxury resort being constructed in Pallanpur village.
‘My father laid down his life to highlight pensioners’ plight’
Sukhpal Khaira also brought along Subhash, son of Som Nath (83), who had died after immolating himself as his old-age pension had not been released by the government for six months. He said his father laid down his life to highlight pensioners’ plight.
