Vishav Bharti
Chandigarh, June 9
Following a probe ordered into the alleged embezzlement of funds at Jalandhar’s Punjab Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), the government has found that the college management owes it Rs 63 crore.
ABOUT THE INSTITUTE
- PIMS was an ambitious project started during the Beant Singh government
- The project on 55 acres was handed over to a Trust being run by SAD leader Surjit Rakhra for ‘peanuts’
- The PIMS, situated in the heart of Doaba, can act as a catalyst for imparting quality healthcare facilities
According to sources, the PIMS management has been told to clear Rs 63 crore due within a month or face action.
Charing the 37th governing body meeting of the PIMS society last week, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had termed the financial crunch in this apex institute as a serious concern and had ordered a probe into the alleged embezzlement of taxpayers’ money along with other lapses.
Following this, the Department of Medical Education and Research was asked to probe the alleged embezzlement. Sources revealed that the department had found that the PIMS management was supposed to pay Rs 63 crore fee to the government, which was part of the Concessionaire Agreement.
The sources revealed that the college management had not paid the annual fee as per the terms and conditions of the Concessionaire Agreement since 2016. It was last month that the college management deposited Rs 6.5 crore. However, the government has conveyed the management that their only escape is if they deposit the entire amount.
Notably, the current management had taken over in 2017.The sources further revealed that now the government was considering to change the board of trustees of the college.
Moreover last week, what came as a rude shock for the CM was that not even a single meeting of the governing body of the institute had taken place in the past six years.
The CM had said that several lapses that were pointing towards serious scams had also come to light. He had said that those responsible for these lapses and embezzlement would not be spared and severe action would be taken against them. Mann had also announced to conduct an inquiry within a stipulated time period, saying that the perpetrators responsible for this financial crunch would not be spared and their accountability would be fixed for the mess.
When contacted, Dr Avnish Kumar, Director, Medical Education and Research, said the proceedings of the meeting chaired by the CM were yet to be out. So, he expressed inability to comment on the issue.
PIMS owes Rs 63 cr to govt: Dept probe
{$excerpt:n}
