Punjab Co-operation Department has swung into action mode after orders by the Minister in-charge Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa to recover loan amounts from the big landlords who owe huge amounts to the co-operative and agricultural development banks.
A notice has been issued to the “big-time” defaulter and senior SAD leader Dyal Singh Kolianwali and his family to deposit the loan amount, while the family of BJP’s senior leader Jagdish Raj Sahni has deposited Rs 20.90 lakh which is 25 percent of the total loan amount.
In the follow up to the Co-operation Minister's orders, the Assistant Registrar of the Co-operative Societies Malout has issued a notice to Kolianwali for depositing the total amount of Rs 39,00,678 including principal amount and interest.
Similarly, notices have also been issued to wife of Dyal Singh Kolianwali, Amarjit Kaur, for depositing Rs 35,57,021 including principal amount and interest, while Kolianwali’s son Parminder Singh has also been issued a notice instructing him to deposit the amount totaling Rs 4,62,717 which includes principal amount and interest.
They all have been asked to deposit the amount till May 23 failing which their arrest warrants would be issued, said the spokesperson, adding that Kolianwali and his family refused to receive the notice which was then pasted on their house gate in the presence of the village chowkidaar.
Spokesperson said that after the directions by the Co-operation Minister regarding recovery, the family of former MlA Jagdish Raj Sahni, who owes loan amount to the Gurdaspur Central Co-operative Bank, has deposited Rs 20,90,800 which is 25 percent of the loan amount. The loan from the bank was availed by the Sahni’s daughter Ambika Khanna.
DISCIPlINARY ACTION IF NEGlIGENCE IN RECOVERY PROCESS: MINISTER
Punjab Cooperation Minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa on Wednesday made it clear that in case any employee of Housefed indulges in negligence of duty with regard to the recoveries, disciplinary action would be initiated against them.
The Minister instructed the officers to ensure that the societies connected with the Housefed must initiate action to increase recoveries so as to enable the smooth functioning of the Department and the members of the societies be informed that if they don't make the recoveries in respect of the loans advanced, they would be proceeded against in accordance with the rules.
“The Co-operation Department has the ability to act as a catalyst for all round development of Punjab's economy on all progress oriented parameters and to ensure this the working of the department would be streamlined with special emphasis on transparency,” he said while reviewing the functioning of Housefed — the Punjab State Federation of Cooperative House Building Societies limited — which provides financial assistance to the individuals for construction of houses in rural and urban areas in Punjab.
Randhawa said that all the constituent societies coming under the purview of the Co-operation Department would be strengthened with possible wherewithal to make the Department the driving force behind Punjab’s prosperity.