Arjun Sudhail questions government spending on Seva Sankalp Abhiyan and seeks clarity on departmental funds and approvals
YAMUNANAGAR | PEN OF DEMOCRACY NEWS DESK
INLD Haryana state spokesperson Arjun Sudhail has questioned the use of departmental funds for activities linked to the Seva Sankalp Abhiyan-2026, asking the state government to clarify the financial arrangements, approvals and expenditure involved in the programme. His remarks followed instructions issued in Yamunanagar concerning the lighting of diyas at government offices and buildings on September 17.
Sudhail said the government should make public the financial details if government departments have been directed to spend from their own budgets for an activity that he describes as a political campaign. His statement is an opposition-party allegation and does not by itself establish how expenditure has been booked or whether any expenditure has already taken place.
Sudhail seeks answers on departmental expenditure
According to Sudhail, a communication issued by the Yamunanagar administration instructed heads of departments to arrange for diyas to be lit at government offices and other government buildings on September 17 and to share photographs or videos of the activity. He questioned the direction that arrangements be made from departmental funds and asked the government to clarify the authority under which such expenditure would be incurred.
He sought details including the budget head from which expenses would be met, the financial approvals required for the activity, the estimated expenditure at the district level and whether similar instructions had been issued across Haryana. He also asked that the total amount spent, if any, be disclosed after the programme.
WHAT SUDHAIL IS SEEKING
- Clarity on the official order and its administrative authority.
- Details of the relevant budget head and financial approvals.
- District-wise and state-level expenditure, if government funds are used.
- Disclosure of expenditure incurred on diyas and related arrangements.
Government describes Seva Sankalp as a month-long public campaign
The Haryana government has separately announced the Seva Sankalp Abhiyan as a statewide campaign running from September 17 to October 17, 2026. In an official release, the government said the programme would include public-welfare activities and public participation, with the state observing ‘Aashirwad Ka Diya’ at 7 pm on September 17.
The government has also framed the campaign around Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 25 years in public life and public service. The official communication presents the programme as an initiative intended to connect citizens with public-service activities and welfare programmes. This is the government’s stated framing of the campaign.
OFFICIAL CONTEXT: Haryana Government press release on Seva Sankalp Abhiyan-2026: Seva Sankalp Abhiyan to run across Haryana from September 17 to October 17.
ALSO READ: Yamunanagar Municipal Corporation to Hold Month-Long Service Sankalp Campaign from September 17
Political campaign or administrative programme: Sudhail raises the funding question
Sudhail argued that if the activity is being organised as part of a political campaign, its expenses should not be placed on government departments. He said public funds are intended for government functions and public services and asked why departmental budgets should be used for ceremonial arrangements associated with the campaign.
At the same time, the government’s official description characterises Seva Sankalp as a statewide public campaign involving government and public-welfare activities. The key issue raised by Sudhail, therefore, is not whether the campaign has been announced, but how any associated expenditure is authorised, classified and accounted for.
Demand for transparency over use of public money
Sudhail said transparency over government expenditure is important whenever departmental resources are involved. He called for the government to disclose the relevant instructions and financial records so that the public can understand whether any expenditure has been incurred, under which rules it was approved and which department or budget head has borne the cost.
He also questioned whether the same instructions were applicable across districts and departments and sought clarity on responsibility for implementation. His questions come as Haryana prepares for the September 17 launch of the month-long campaign.
Financial details could clarify the dispute
The disagreement is ultimately centred on the treatment of campaign-related expenses. Sudhail has asked for disclosure of the financial trail, while the state government has publicly presented Seva Sankalp as a statewide public-service and welfare initiative. The publication of the relevant orders, approvals and expenditure details would provide a clearer factual basis for assessing how the programme is being financed.
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