Day after CM Mann launches mission Chardi Kalan, AAP MP Sahney donates Rs 1 crore for Punjab clean up

Within 24 hours of the launch of Mission Chardi Kalan, a global fundraising initiative by Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to support flood-hit areas, AAP Rajya Sabha MP Vikramjit Singh Sahney pledged a donation of Rs 1 crore.

Sahney announced that the funds would be contributed to the Chief Minister’s Rangla Punjab Fund, which has been set up to aid the reconstruction of infrastructure and provide relief in regions severely affected by the recent floods.

His swift response marks the first major individual contribution to the campaign aimed at helping Punjab recover from the widespread devastation.

Sahney, through his Sun Foundation, has also donated 50 tractors and 10 JCB machines for the cleanliness campaign in villages and towns to remove silt.

This campaign is expected to last for the next three months. Ever since the devastating floods in Punjab, caused by overflowing rivers, incessant rains, and increased outflows from the dams—Pong, Bhakra, Ranjit Sagar, and Shahpur Kandi—the state has been struggling to get back on its feet. With the flood-ravaged areas covered with silt, the fields and homes have to be desilted.

Over 4,650 km of roads and 68 bridges damaged during the floods have to be repaired. The state’s financial health remains precarious, with the limited resources available to the government being barely enough to meet the committed liabilities of the state.

Since the disaster struck in August, NRIs, common Punjabis, artistes, singers, doctors, and philanthropists have all been contributing towards rescue and relief measures, providing both cash and goods. It is to reach out to the larger global community of Punjabi NRIs that the CM yesterday announced the Rangla Punjab Fund.

It may be mentioned that a private body of advertisers, who were collecting funds in PM Cares in the name of rebuilding Punjab, had drawn the ire of Mann.

These two factors are believed to be responsible for the CM launching a fundraiser for the state.

It may be mentioned that under the Disaster Management Rules, all the damage caused by a natural disaster is to be repaired using the State Disaster Response Fund, accumulated over the years.

However, in the case of Punjab, mystery shrouds the total funds available under this head.

While Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his Punjab visit, said that the state has Rs 12,000 crore in its kitty as SDRF for use now, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has maintained that Punjab received Rs 5,012 crore under the head from the Centre from 2010-11 onwards, and the state spent Rs 3,820 crore of this fund during these 15 years.