Punjab minister Balbir Sidhu’s adviser in the dock for misuse of funds
Sarbjot Sidhu, adviser to Punjab health, and labour minister Balbir Singh Sidhu, is under the scanner as glaring anomalies have come to the fore in disbursement of funds and registration of labourers under the ex-gratia scheme of the Building and Other Construction Workers (BOCW) board in Sangrur circle where he is posted as assistant labour commissioner.

The district labour department released ₹1.63 crore in 64 cases in an unauthorised manner under the ex-gratia scheme between January 1, 2015 and August 31, 2017, revealed a response to a Right to Information (RTI) application. Sidhu is posted in the circle since December 2016. As many as 41 such cases were cleared after his joining as the circle head of the department.
Under the BOCW Act, a worker has to be registered for at least three years so that his/her family could avail of the benefits after his/her death besides having undertaken construction work for at least 90 days in a year.
After the death of registered construction workers, their spouses, minor sons and unmarried daughters are entitled to receive an ex gratia of ₹3 lakh under the scheme. Earlier, the state government was giving ₹1.5 lakh.
Nine labourers were enrolled after their death from back date to give benefits to their families.
Fifty five of them died within three months of their registration with the department, it was found. Of a total of 64 cases, 26 beneficiaries are from Sunam, 10 from Malerkotla, 25 from Barnala and 3 are from Sangrur.
Vijay Walia, organisation director, Centre for Social Change and Equity, who filed the RTI query, has also lodged a complaint with the state labour department seeking vigilance probe into the matter.
He said, “We cannot expect a fair probe until Sarbjot Sidhu is adviser to the labour minister.”
Sarbjot Sidhu admitted that an audit by the principal accountant general has highlighted irregularities in the implementation of the scheme in the circle. He said, “As far as audit objections are concerned, I have filed the reply to the state labour department. I joined as assistant labour commissioner in Sangrur in December 2016. All these irregularities happened before my joining here.”
VK Janjua, principal secretary (labour), said, “We will verify the facts mentioned in the complaint and a strict action will be taken against those guilty.”
Balbir Singh Sidhu said, “Sarbjot Sidhu is my adviser to assist me in matters related to the labour department. I will order an inquiry into the matter.”
BOARD AUDIT HAD ALSO HIGHLIGHTED IRREGULARITIES
The first-ever audit of the BOCW board had also highlighted an irregular disbursement of money under the ex-gratia scheme. The audit conducted by office of the principal accountant general, Punjab, detected irregularity in disbursement of ₹3.70 crore in seven circles, including Sangrur, of a total of ₹37.85 released in the state from 2013 to 2018.