Punjab Drowning in Debt, AAP Government Spending Crores on Publicity in Goa: Randhawa

Chandigarh, July 30, 2026: Former Deputy Chief Minister of Punjab and Member of Parliament Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa has termed the Punjab government's publicity campaign in Goa as unfortunate and a waste of taxpayers' money. He questioned the justification of promoting the Chief Minister in other states when Punjab's debt continues to rise and ordinary citizens are struggling for basic amenities. Meanwhile, the Punjab Bandh indicates growing dissatisfaction among government employees and the general public with the state government. Randhawa also demanded that the government present a White Paper in the Punjab Legislative Assembly.
Randhawa said that, according to various public reports, Punjab's total debt has been increasing steadily, and the state's financial condition remains a matter of serious concern. As per available figures, Punjab's outstanding debt has now reached approximately ₹4.5 lakh crore and is estimated to touch ₹5 lakh crore by the end of this year. At such a time, if large hoardings featuring the Chief Minister's photographs have been put up in places such as Margao and other locations in Goa, the government should clarify whether the expenditure on these advertisements has been borne by the state exchequer or financed through the party's funds.
He said that the people of Punjab have every right to know how their tax money is being spent and what the government's priorities are. At a time when government hospitals are reportedly facing shortages of medicines, many government schools are struggling due to a lack of teachers, more than 18,000 teaching posts remain vacant, and issues such as pending Dearness Allowance (DA) payments for employees and dues to pensioners remain unresolved, spending crores of rupees on publicity cannot be considered to be in the public interest.
Randhawa said that the government's foremost responsibility should be to strengthen the state's financial position and invest in education, healthcare, employment, and essential public infrastructure. He added that Punjab is currently facing several serious challenges, and therefore the government should focus on good governance and public welfare rather than publicity campaigns.
He urged the Chief Minister to ensure complete transparency regarding the advertisements displayed in Goa and to inform the public about the financial source of the campaign as well as the total expenditure incurred. In a democracy, accountability and transparency in the use of public funds are of utmost importance.