SAD (Badal) alleges concessions scam in Punjab

Chandigarh, Dec 17 (UNI) Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal) today alleged that Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh had provided concessions to the tune of Rs 3256 crore to an industrialist, Kewal Dhillon, who is also a vice president of the state Congress.

''The benefits and concessions have been provided in the name of mega projects. They include 12 multiplexes, eight industrial parks and seven hotels spread across the state. It is strange that the Amarinder government has extended benefits of over Rs 3256 crore for projects worth Rs 3622 crore. This is unprecedented ,'' SAD general secretary Sukhbir Badal told media persons here today.

The Akali leader alleged that the incentives were provided to the industrialist in the form of exemption of electricity duty, stamp duty and entertainment tax, permission within periphery and increased Floor Area Ratio (FAR).

''A major corruption racket is being run in the name of mega projects. Not a single project of the industrialist has taken off.

Most of them are existing only in name as no land has yet been purchased for the projects,'' stressed Mr Badal.

The Akali leader said no other company or industrial house in the state has been able to pocket the kind of benefits that the state Congress vice president had been able to manage.

Dhillon is a failed industrialist whose ventures are running into losses of crores of rupees, he alleged.

UNI DP VD ND1646