Mission Chardi Kala: Punjab Govt Launches Transparent Flood Relief Fund

Punjab, India’s breadbasket, is facing one of its most severe flood crises in recent memory. In a swift administrative response, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann launched ‘Mission Chardi Kala’, a campaign that goes beyond immediate relief to focus on rehabilitation, reconstruction, and long-term development of flood-affected areas.

At the heart of the initiative is the Rangla Punjab Vikas Fund, managed by the Rangla Punjab Society. The fund relies entirely on voluntary contributions and will not draw from the state budget. To ensure complete transparency, a monitoring committee, chaired by the Chief Secretary and including senior finance and planning officials, will track all inflows and outflows. Regular updates will be posted online. NRI donations are exempt from FCRA restrictions, and corporate contributions can be booked as CSR expenditure, encouraging wider participation.

The campaign has seen a remarkable response. Within 24 hours, over 1,000 donors, including members of the Punjabi diaspora, contributed to the fund. Aam Aadmi Party Rajya Sabha MP Dr. Vikramjit Singh Sahney contributed ₹1 crore. Additionally, 50 tractors and 10 JCB machines have been deployed for relief and reconstruction efforts.

Chief Minister Mann personally thanked the first 1,000 donors, emphasizing that their contributions are crucial for rebuilding a flood-hit Punjab. “Your support for ‘Mission Chardi Kala’ is a statement of collective resilience and a step toward a stronger, safer Punjab,” he said.

Beyond relief, ‘Mission Chardi Kala’ represents a political and administrative experiment in accountability. In a state where disaster management often overlaps with political narratives, the Mann government aims to showcase that governance, transparency, and citizen trust can go hand in hand. Every contribution will be publicly accounted for, reinforcing public faith in the administration’s commitment.