Ludhiana Honours Social Contributors on Independence Day at PAU as ED Raids PSIEC Properties Across Punjab
Ludhiana's 80th Independence Day proceeded with a civic ceremony at Punjab Agricultural University, where Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema unfurled the national flag and recognised social sector contributors before a march past by police and NCC contingents. The celebratory atmosphere carried a countercurrent: the Enforcement Directorate's raids on 11 Punjab properties between August 4 and 6 have cast fresh scrutiny on the Punjab Small Industries and Export Corporation, with Ludhiana among the cities where searches were conducted into alleged illegal industrial plot allotments.
🗳️ Cheema Unfurls National Flag at PAU, Distributes Tricycles at Ludhiana Independence Day Ceremony
The district-level Independence Day celebration was held at the Athletics Ground of Punjab Agricultural University on August 15, with Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema serving as chief guest and officially unfurling the national flag before an assembled gathering. Deputy Commissioner Himanshu Jain confirmed that proceedings began at 9 am. MLA Daljit Singh Grewal Bhola arrived at the venue later during the programme. Students from a range of educational institutions across Ludhiana district presented cultural and patriotic performances, drawing applause from the crowd, while contingents of the Punjab Police and the National Cadet Corps participated in a formal march past. Finance Minister Cheema used the occasion to personally honour individuals who had made notable contributions to the social sector in Ludhiana, presenting formal recognition before the full gathering. Tricycles were distributed to persons with disabilities as part of the day's inclusivity measures, reflecting a welfare dimension to the otherwise ceremonial occasion. Security arrangements across the city were elevated throughout August 15. DCP Harpal Singh confirmed that police teams conducted continuous patrolling to maintain law and order and ensure public safety, with adequate personnel deployed across all major zones of the city. Naka-bandi operations and vehicle checks were carried out at multiple locations. Suspicious vehicles were subjected to thorough inspection, and overall security measures were closely monitored to prevent any untoward incident on a day of heightened national significance. The PAU function served as Ludhiana's principal official civic observance of the 80th anniversary of Indian independence, with both state and district administration represented at the event. [3]
🏢 ED Raids 11 PSIEC-Linked Properties in Punjab, Including Ludhiana, Over Illegal Plot Allotment Allegations
The Enforcement Directorate conducted searches at 11 properties across Punjab between August 4 and 6, with raids carried out in Amritsar, Gurdaspur and Ludhiana. Targets included officials of the Punjab Small Industries and Export Corporation and their associates. The agency's investigation centres on allegations that industrial plot allotments managed through PSIEC were systematically manipulated through an administrative loophole. Under this mechanism, delays in allottees taking possession of their plots were formally classified as a 'zero period,' a designation that exempted them from paying interest on outstanding amounts during the delay period. The ED alleges that this classification was deliberately exploited by well-connected parties to defer substantial financial obligations, causing losses to the public exchequer. The raids represent a significant escalation of federal scrutiny into the operations of a Punjab state agency responsible for the management and distribution of industrial land, a function that has long attracted attention from auditors and reform advocates. PSIEC plot allotments sit at the intersection of industrial policy and land governance in Punjab, making the probe politically and economically sensitive in equal measure. The Ludhiana leg of the operation targeted properties associated with PSIEC officials and their alleged associates operating in or around the city. The agency's intervention signals sustained federal enforcement attention to state-level institutional compliance and may carry implications for past allottees and officials whose transactions fall within the period under examination. The raids are likely to accelerate demands for a comprehensive audit of PSIEC's allotment procedures and a review of how the zero-period classification has been applied historically across the organisation. [5]
Sources: [3] Punjab Newsline · [5] The New Indian Express