MP Satnam Singh Sandhu announces Rs 50 lakh from MPLADS for Panjab University
Babushahi Bureau
Chandigarh, September 3, 2026: Rajya Sabha MP Satnam Singh Sandhu on Thursday announced a ₹50 lakh grant from the MP Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS) for student welfare and basic facilities at Panjab University.
Sandhu made the announcement during a meeting with newly elected Panjab University Campus Students Council (PUCSC) president Ankit Bidhan in Chandigarh.
Student leaders of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), former council president Gaurav Attri and other office-bearers were also present.
The proposed funds will be used for student-focused facilities, including e-rickshaws and e-carts for movement within the campus and measures to strengthen the safety of girl students.
Sandhu asked the newly elected council to identify priority requirements and submit a proposal for utilising the grant.
“The amount should result in visible improvements in student facilities and make the campus experience better,” Sandhu said, adding that the focus should now shift from elections to addressing students’ day-to-day concerns and creating better opportunities for their future.
The meeting also focused on improving career and employment opportunities for PU students. Proposals including a large-scale job fair, strengthening the university’s startup ecosystem and establishing an AI and Deep Tech Centre of Excellence were discussed.
Sandhu said he would take up these proposals with the concerned Central Government ministries and institutions to seek support for the initiatives.
Congratulating Bidhan and the ABVP team on retaining the PUCSC president’s post for a second consecutive year, Sandhu said the mandate brought both recognition and responsibility. He also described Panjab University as an important centre of Punjab’s intellectual, cultural and democratic heritage.