Chandigarh, Oct. 31 -- The Punjab government on Thursday removed senior IAS officer AK Sinha from the post of chairman-cum-managing director (CMD) of Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) and Punjab State Power Transmission Corporation Limited, appointing Basant Garg, a 2005-batch IAS officer, as the new head of both state power utilities. Sinha, a 1996-batch IAS officer who is set to retire early next year, has not been given any posting and has been directed to report to the department of personnel. According to top officials, privy to development, the move comes at the behest of the power and industry minister Sanjeev Arora, who is close to the party high command and is considered an influential minister in the Bhagwant Mann cabinet. Officials said that Arora was reportedly 'miffed' with Sinha for 'not cooperating on certain administrative decisions, including the transfer of engineers suggested by the department', and sought his removal. Industrialist-turned-politician Arora also holds investment promotion and NRI affairs portfolios. The change comes at a time when the government is exploring the liquidation of PSPCL-owned land to raise much-needed revenue, a move that has met strong resistance from employees' unions. Officials, pleading anonymity, said that Sinha was resisting the move to liquidate prime land held by the state power utilities. "Though Sinha had acceded to some of the demands and had even posted some engineers, who were either arrested by the vigilance bureau or chargesheeted, but the minister was seeking more postings at prime positions in the PSPCL," the official said, pleading anonymity. The official added that Sinha had also said to have objected to the minister's demand to be kept in the loop regarding the proposed 2,000 MW power purchase agreement (PPA), a key issue currently under consideration by the state government. "Usually, a committee of PSPCL chief engineers does tendering and vetting of rates, and the PSPCL board approves it. However, the minister was insisting that each proposal of PPA should come to him first, something which is not in the rules of business of the PSPCL. Even though the board had approved 2000 MW solar power, the minister was opposing that no such petition should be moved to the PSERC for approval of PPAs," the official added. When contacted, Sinha refused to comment on the issue. Despite repeated attempts, minister Arora also could not be contacted for comments. Meanwhile, Arshdeep Thind has been given charge of the post of secretary of the agriculture and farmer welfare department....