Punjab BJP president Sunil Jakhar has launched a sharp attack on Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, accusing him of misleading citizens regarding the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) and failing to utilize critical funds meant for disaster relief. Citing the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report, Jakhar claimed that thousands of crores allocated for disaster management have been left unused, despite the state facing recurring floods and other natural calamities.
According to Jakhar, the CAG report clearly stated that as of March 31, 2023, Punjab had Rs 9,041.74 crore lying idle in the SDRF account. He alleged that the state government not only violated central rules by failing to invest the funds properly but also neglected its responsibility to channel these resources towards relief and rehabilitation. He further added that with allocations for 2023–24, 2024–25, and 2025–26, the total amount available with the state has now risen to nearly Rs 12,000 crore.
Jakhar, in a strong statement on social media platform X, said, “Funds from the SDRF are lying unused with the Bhagwant Mann government. Mann Sahib, even your Chief Secretary, in your presence, indirectly acknowledged this at a press conference yesterday, and your ministers have also admitted it. Instead of misleading the people, it would be better if you apologised to them and ensured the proper utilisation of these funds.”
The BJP leader insisted that disaster relief funds are not meant to sit in government accounts but to be deployed swiftly to mitigate suffering, support farmers, rehabilitate flood-hit families, and restore damaged infrastructure. He argued that the misuse—or non-use—of such funds directly hampers public trust and worsens the hardships of vulnerable communities in Punjab who rely on timely state support during disasters.
Experts note that under central government guidelines, states are required to invest SDRF allocations responsibly and release them promptly for relief activities. Any delay in disbursal, they argue, not only violates compliance rules but also undermines the credibility of governance. For a state like Punjab, which has faced devastating floods in recent years and where farmers already bear heavy losses, the failure to fully utilize disaster relief funds could have long-term social and economic consequences.
By demanding accountability, Jakhar has turned the spotlight on transparency in governance and financial management. His criticism adds to the political debate over whether the Punjab government is prioritizing relief and rehabilitation adequately, or whether bureaucratic inaction is denying people their rightful support. The demand for an apology, coupled with a call for immediate deployment of funds, underlines the urgency of the issue.
This controversy also raises larger questions about disaster preparedness in Punjab. At a time when climate change is intensifying floods, waterlogging, and crop damage, the need for proactive use of SDRF funds becomes even more critical. Jakhar’s statement echoes a broader demand from citizens and opposition groups that relief funds must not remain symbolic allocations but be translated into real-time support for affected families.
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