Chandigarh, Dec 7: The Punjab government said Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s foreign trips mark a shift from “luxury travel at public expense” to investment-driven outreach, as his visit to Japan and South Korea draws industrial interest.
Officials said a ₹400-crore investment announcement from Toppan Specialty Films demonstrates the purpose of the tour. “Every meeting is aimed at creating jobs and strengthening Punjab’s economy,” Mann said, noting that no family members accompany him and that full expenditure details are made public.
The government contrasted this with earlier administrations. It accused former deputy CM Sukhbir Singh Badal of using state funds on foreign trips to Dubai, London and South Africa that yielded “no investment, only expenses.” Officials alleged that the travel involved shopping and personal stays billed to the state exchequer.
Former chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi also came under fire, with the government pointing to ED raids in which cash was recovered from his relatives. The AAP said he spent months abroad after the 2022 polls instead of responding to investigators.
The administration said that transparency, public-interest decisions and corruption-free governance have replaced past misuse of public money. “Punjab is witnessing what accountable leadership looks like,” Mann said, adding that the focus of every foreign visit is investment, employment and economic revival.
