In a significant development, the Punjab government's proposed move to sell land assets belonging to the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) has been termed "completely illegal" by a former senior bureaucrat. E A S Sarma, who served as Secretary for Power at the central level, has demanded the immediate revocation of this decision.
Former Secretary's Stern Warning to Punjab Government
In a strongly-worded letter addressed to the Chief Secretary of Punjab on Monday, Sarma confirmed that recent press reports on the matter were "factually true." He described the state government's decision as "a highly imprudent" one. The core of his argument rests on the legal grounds under which the lands were originally acquired.
Sarma pointed out that the majority of PSPCL's land holdings were procured under the old Land Acquisition Act of 1894. This acquisition was justified solely on the basis of "public purpose," specifically for use by a corporation wholly owned and controlled by the government itself.
Legal Breach and Violation of Public Trust
The former secretary argued that alienating these lands to private agencies would constitute a "gross violation" of the original statutory requirement. He emphasized that such a move indirectly represents a serious breach of the public trust reposed in the government. Sarma warned that the sale would essentially hand over valuable public assets to real estate developers, allowing them to profit at the expense of the state's interests.
Furthermore, he highlighted a practical concern: PSPCL might require these very lands in the future for expanding its power infrastructure and activities. Selling them now would be short-sighted and could hinder the state's energy security and development goals.
Criticism of Mimicking Central Land Monetisation Policy
Sarma's letter also contained sharp political criticism. He expressed his impression that the Punjab government, led by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), has embarked on this "futile and counter-productive exercise of land monetisation" by trying to mimic a similar policy adopted by the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government at the Centre.
He accused the central government of being on a "senseless, short-sighted spree" of selling assets of Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs) under pressure from corporate entities that provide election funds. Sarma lamented that it was "unfortunate" for the AAP-ruled Punjab to cave in to such pressures from both the Centre and state-level corporates.
Concluding his letter, the former power secretary made a direct appeal, requesting the Punjab government to revoke its decision to monetise PSPCL's land assets immediately, safeguarding public property and interest.
