SAS Nagar, October 13: Senior Congress leader and former Punjab Health Minister Balbir Singh Sidhu has accused the state's Aam Aadmi Party government of destroying Punjab economically and said that the situation has reached such a point that the government is being forced to recall even the grants spent by government institutions.
He said that the Aam Aadmi Party government, which has failed miserably on every front, is now eyeing the assets of government institutions, by grabbing which it also wants to implement its people-pleasing schemes and also wants to fill the party's coffers by lavishing these funds so that the upcoming Bihar elections can be contested.
Talking to reporters here today, he said that this is the reason why the government keeps making absurd schemes to snatch people's lands, sometimes by pooling land, sometimes by selling panchayat lands and withdrawing money from the funds lying with the panchayats. He further said that now in Ludhiana, besides Punjab Agricultural University, the lands of Horticulture Department, Punjab Agro Industries Corporation and Punjab Agri Export Corporation are being identified so that they can be sold.
He said that the government has recalled the grant-in-aid of Rs 243.73 crore given to the Punjab Small Industries and Export Corporation, which has already been spent by the corporation. Presenting the papers in this regard, he said that the Punjab Small Industries and Export Corporation had received a government grant of Rs 243.73 crore from the year 2019-20 to strengthen the existing industrial infrastructure in the state, establish new industrial centers and build a new road developed for the Cycle Valley project of Ludhiana, which has also been spent as per the prescribed rules.
He said that the Industries and Commerce Department of the Punjab Government had instructed the Punjab Small Industries and Export Corporation through a letter dated 26 September 2025 to return the above grant of Rs 243.73 crore to the government. He further said that the Corporation, after calling a meeting of its Board of Directors on the same day and approving the return of this amount, withdrew this amount from the fixed deposits of the Corporation and sent it back.
He said that the government had also instructed the corporation to deposit Rs 500 crore in the government treasury through a letter on August 20, but the government had to back down after the corporation employees filed a petition against it in the Punjab and Haryana High Court.
Mr. Sidhu said that this evil practice of calling back the grant that has been spent from a government institution in the history of Punjab has made it clear that due to the faulty policies of the Aam Aadmi Party government and corruption at all levels, the condition of the state has deteriorated to such an extent that the grants spent from government institutions are being called back.
On this occasion, PSIEC Association President Pipa Ram, Vice President Balwant Singh, Field President Sheena, Finance Secretary Amritpal and Convener Harkesh Rana were also present.