By Satinder Bains
Questions galore over fund raising under Rangla Punjab Vikas Fund instead of CM disaster relief fund
CHANDIGARH: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Punjab, led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, is facing sharp questions over the credibility and transparency of the Charhdi Kala Mission and the Rangla Punjab Vikas Fund. Both initiatives, launched ostensibly to aid flood victims, are now being described by opposition and watchdogs as the potential cover for a large-scale financial scam.
The controversy traces back to May 14, 2025, when Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema announced the setting up of the Rangla Punjab Society. At the time, Punjab had not yet witnessed the devastating floods that hit in August and September. Cheema had projected the society as a “pioneering platform” meant to channel public contributions into healthcare, education, power, water supply, sanitation, agriculture, and urban-rural development.
Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann endorsed the initiative as a “revolutionary step” to finance Punjab’s development. However, the composition of the society was never disclosed publicly, and crucial documents such as the Memorandum of Association were not uploaded on government websites. Observers point out that such opacity sowed early doubts about the real intentions behind the project.
When floods ravaged Punjab, the government shifted the narrative. The Rangla Punjab Vikas Fund was suddenly repurposed into a disaster relief initiative. Mann appealed to industries and NRIs to donate generously, presenting it under the emotive banner of the Charhdi Kala Mission. Had AAP government abandoned the urban-rural development model earlier attributed to formation of Rangla Punjab Society?
Who are members of Society
Bhagwant Mann himself is not listed as a member of the Rangla Punjab society. According to available information, Chief Secretary V.K. Singh who is also not a member of the society heads the executive committee formed to monitor the affairs, but the identities of other members remain unknown.
On September 22, 2025, reports surfaced that Ludhiana’s leading industrialists had contributed ₹6 crore to the Chief Minister for this Rangla Punjab Vikas fund. Industry Minister Sanjeev Arora claimed the donation was earmarked for flood victims. However, critics immediately questioned why the money was not deposited directly into the Chief Minister’s official Relief Fund, and why a separate, parallel mechanism was required.
Alarmingly, Bhagwant Mann himself is not listed as a member of the Rangla Punjab society. According to available information, Chief Secretary V.K. Singh who is also not a member of the society heads the executive committee formed to monitor the affairs, but the identities of other members remain unknown. No official portal exists for the society, and a Finance Department web page containing details of its formation has since been deleted.
Linkedin Profile of Arshinder Singh Randhawa
The alleged scam deepened when corporate influencer Arshinder Singh Randhawa alias Arshi announced his appointment as CEO of the Rangla Punjab Society via social media posts in August last. His public statements described the society as a “trusted, transparent, and transformative platform” to channel donations from citizens, corporates, and NRIs. He didn't mention in his post, the society was formed by the Punjab Government.
Randhawa’s past associations include stints with the Roundglass Foundation and CollegeDekho. However, no government notification has been issued confirming his appointment. There is no clarity on who pays his salary, what his powers are, or whether he was brought in as part of a private setup that is merely endorsed by the government.
Finance Minister Cheema had earlier claimed that the society would be eligible to receive Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funds and foreign donations, subject to FEMA and FCRA compliance.
Social Media
Social Media has already picked the threads of possible funding scam and such posts are gaining credibility when the AAP government in Punjab lacks the trust of the people of Punjab.
Experts warn that CSR contributions, though legal, are often misused as an indirect channel of corporate corruption. Without full disclosure and monitoring, such funds risk diversion for purposes unrelated to their stated intent.
What began as a mission promising development and welfare now faces allegations of being an opaque mechanism to collect and possibly divert public contributions. Unless the Punjab government makes the functioning, membership, and finances of the Rangla Punjab Society fully transparent, suspicions of a “larger scam” will continue to haunt both the Charhdi Kala Mission and the Rangla Punjab Vikas Fund.
Social Media has already picked the threads of possible funding scam and such posts are gaining credibility when the AAP government in Punjab lacks the trust of the people of Punjab.