CAPT AMARINDER ASKS AKALIS TO COME CLEAN ON SAND MIND AUCTIONS, SAYS TRUTH SHALL PREVAIL IN RANA GURJIT CASE

Chandigarh, June 19, 2017: Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Monday asked the Akali leadership to come clean with the names of those involved in looting the state exchequer through manipulation of the sand mine auctions during their rule.
Taking the opposition head-on over the issue, raised in the House, of alleged involvement of Rana Gurjit Singh, Irrigation and Power Minister, in auction of sand mines, the Chief Minister said that without pre-judging the outcome, his government has decided for a judicial enquiry so that truth should prevail.
However, he asked the opposition members to look inwards and come straight on record. How did they manipulate auctions of sand mines to their advantage through wrong policies and practices?, he asked the opposition.
During the last 10 years, the State Government had got only Rs. 230 crore as revenue from mining of sand/gravel, while his government had, through a single auction, raised revenue of Rs. 280 crore, which was expected to rise to Rs. 500-600 crore per annum once all auctions are completed, the Chief Minister informed the Vidhan Sabha.
The Chief Minister pointed out that his government had adopted a progressive e-auction policy, which is fully transparent, un-interrupted and un-influenced by anyone in the Government. Had the previous Government followed this policy in the last ten years, the State would have got additional revenue of Rs. 4 to 5 thousand crore, which had instead been pocketed by the people who grabbed the mines under the patronage of the previous Government, he added.
The former leadership should stand up and disclose who were these people who took away this money, denying the State its rightful revenue, said the Chief Minister.