The Enforcement Directorate’s ongoing money-laundering probe into alleged irregularities at the Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA) has revealed that officials continued to allot prime residential plots under the oustee policy at heavily discounted, outdated rates for seven years, costing the Punjab government nearly ₹ 400 crore.
The oustee policy is intended to benefit landowners whose land was acquired for development projects. During a three-day search at GMADA’s Mohali office last month, the ED had seized records relating to the policy. In exchange for acquired land, 441 plots were allotted between 2019 and 2026 — 100 in IT City’s Sector 82 Alpha and 341 in Sector 66 Beta. Another 169 applications remain pending, including 39 in Sector 82 Alpha and 130 in Sector 66 Beta. The agency has separately alleged that manipulation of reserve prices for unsold land parcels could have caused a potential loss of nearly ₹ 10,000 crore to GMADA and the Punjab government. Under the oustee policy, notified by the Punjab government’s department of housing and urban development in May 2013, landowners whose property is acquired for residential, institutional, industrial or integrated mixed-land-use projects are provided monetary compensation for the acquired land. Under the 2013 policy, GMADA launched its first oustee plot scheme on August 26, 2013, followed by subsequent schemes in 2018 and 2021.
The irregularities came to light while compiling a comprehensive report last week, said Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials privy to the probe. GMADA repeatedly revised the prevailing rates for residential plots under its jurisdiction, but estate officers continued issuing allotment letters for these schemes at old rates, according to the investigation. Vikas Garg, principal secretary, Punjab’s department of housing and urban development, said he was unaware of the issue but would examine it after reviewing the records.
