CHANDIGARH: The controversy over the Rs 12,000 crore, which the Centre claims is available with the Punjab government, refuses to die down, as the state Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president, Sunil Jakhar, once again targeted Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Saturday by citing the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report released in September last year.
The CAG report revealed that the state government had not invested Rs 9,041.74 crore available under the State Disaster Relief Fund (SDRF), indicating that the funds were used for purposes other than those intended.
Jakhar said that the Chief Minister must apologize to the people of the state for falsely claiming that he had no knowledge of the Rs 12,000 crore in SDRF funds available with the state government.
He wrote on X: "Here is the CAG report, which clearly states that as of March 31, 2023, Punjab had Rs 9,041.74 crore in SDRF funds. According to the report, in violation of Central Government rules, the state government did not even make proper investments of this amount.”
He further stated that the funds released for the years 2023–24, 2024–25, and 2025–26 together amount to Rs 12,000 crore and reiterated his demand that the Chief Minister issue a public apology.
"It would be better if you apologize to the people of Punjab for misleading them and ensure that this amount is properly utilized to provide relief to those in need," Jakhar said in his message on X.
In a separate statement, Jakhar reminded Mann that the people of Punjab had elected him as the Chief Minister—not Arvind Kejriwal. He urged Mann to take control of the government and fulfill his responsibilities.
"If the Punjab government is being run on contract by Kejriwal, the people of Punjab will never forgive him," Jakhar warned Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann.
On Friday, Bhagwant Mann dismissed the allegations against his government, stating that the state had received only Rs 1,582 crore so far, of which Rs 649 crore had already been spent.
On Saturday, Mann further responded by saying that the anti-Punjab face of the BJP had been exposed, as the party failed to support the state during difficult times. He claimed that the BJP is now trying to divert attention by engaging in "irrelevant talk."
He added that the people of Punjab want clear answers from the Centre—specifically, when and how much funding has been allocated to the state. "The answer to this question will clarify everything, but BJP leaders are avoiding it because it would expose their real face," he asserted.
Providing further details, Mann said that the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) was established in 2010, and since then, a total of Rs 5,012 crore has been received under this fund. Of this, he noted, Rs 3,820 crore has been spent over the years on relief measures during natural disasters.
Mann emphasized that the facts are "crystal clear," but alleged that the BJP is exaggerating the issue to mislead the public during a time of crisis.
"Instead of raising irrelevant issues, all of us should come together to help the people of Punjab in this critical time," he appealed.