Punjab’s people have a legitimate right to ask a simple question: when public institutions and organisations operating in Punjab spend large amounts of money, what measurable benefit is actually reaching the people of Punjab? Two institutions that deserve greater public scrutiny are the Punjab Development Commission (PDC) and the Punjab Cricket Association (PCA). The issue is not merely how much money is spent, but also what the state receives in return in terms of development, employment, sports infrastructure, opportunities for Punjabi youth and transparent administration.
The Punjab Development Commission was established in September 2023 and describes itself as an action-based think tank intended to provide evidence-based policy, implementation support, monitoring and long-term development planning for Punjab. Its own public profile says its work covers areas including health, education, infrastructure and economic development.
But the public deserves a detailed year-wise expenditure statement. How much has been spent on salaries, consultants, advisors, offices, vehicles, travel, meetings, research projects, consultants, NGOs and other administrative expenses? How many employees are actually working in the Commission today? How many are from Punjab, and how many are from outside Punjab? These figures should not remain matters of political debate; the government should publish the complete information.
In June 2025, Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa alleged that the Punjab Development Commission had appointed eight advisors at ₹2.65 lakh per month each, 15 joint advisors at ₹2.20 lakh per month and 15 senior research officers at ₹1.25 lakh per month. He further alleged that ₹7.70 crore had already been spent from the state exchequer on the Commission during the preceding year. These were political allegations, and the government should provide the official expenditure figures and appointment records so that the public can independently verify them.
The same accountability principle must apply to the Punjab Cricket Association. PCA is responsible for developing and organising cricket in Punjab and Chandigarh and operates major cricket infrastructure, teams, coaching and district-level programmes. Its official website lists district associations including Bathinda and Faridkot as representative members.
The PCA also advertises positions for coaches, physiotherapists, video analysts, strength-and-conditioning coaches and selectors for Punjab’s men’s and women’s teams. This raises another straightforward question: how many people employed by PCA are actually from Punjab? The association should publish a transparent employee and professional-staff statement showing designation, place of recruitment, remuneration and employment status, subject to applicable privacy rules.
Punjab’s young people have every right to ask whether large sporting institutions are creating sufficient opportunities for local players, coaches, trainers, physiotherapists, administrators and other professionals. A cricket organisation operating in Punjab should be able to demonstrate not only successful teams and tournaments but also a strong pipeline of opportunities for Punjab’s youth.
Therefore, the Punjab Government and PCA should place their complete expenditure, employment and performance figures in the public domain. The people should know how much has been spent, where it was spent, how many Punjabis benefited, how many jobs were created and what concrete outputs were achieved. Accountability should not depend on which political party is in power.
Disclaimer: This article and accompanying images are for informational and illustrative purposes only. Some visuals may be AI-generated or digitally enhanced and may not depict actual events or persons.Views expressed are based on publicly available information and analysis
Disclaimer: This article and accompanying images are for informational and illustrative purposes only. Some visuals may be AI-generated or digitally enhanced and may not depict actual events or persons.Views expressed are based on publicly available information and analysis