CHANDIGARH: All India Congress Committee Secretary, former Education Minister, and MLA Padma Shri Pargat Singh has strongly criticized the Punjab Government over its decision to review more than 90 acres of idle and underutilized Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) land in Patiala. He termed the move a “drama to cover up government failures, ” claiming that the public is no longer swayed by such tactics. Singh asserted that, with the failure of the land pooling scheme, the government is now preparing to sell land in order to cover ongoing expenses.
Singh stated that while such schemes existed before, the government never implemented them and is now holding meetings purely for show as elections draw near. He cautioned that using the OUVGL scheme as justification is an attempt by the government to mislead the public and mask its shortcomings.
Citing internal correspondence from PSPCL, Singh pointed out that the land at “23 Number Phatak” in Patiala has been lying vacant for years, with no official oversight. “How can the government be unaware of the status of its own property? This is not mere administrative complacency—it is total management failure, ” he said. He noted that Punjab’s valuable lands have been left barren while the government remained inactive for years.
Singh further said that, in the name of development, the current administration made lofty promises, but in reality, land worth crores has been neglected without any master plan, vision, or policy. Key files relating to PSPCL lands were kept on hold for years.“If these lands had been developed in time, they could have housed government infrastructure, sports complexes, hospitals, and education institutes. Now, with elections approaching, the government suddenly springs into action, ” said Singh.
Directing questions to Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, Pargat Singh asked why a comprehensive survey of these lands was never conducted. “Why hasn’t the government identified the officials who sat on these files? Is there a plan to sell these properties to private entities? What measures have been taken to utilize these lands to save public money? Is this meeting simply another election-time spectacle?” he questioned.