The News Freedom
Ludhiana, November 1
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Wednesday said that the state government has taken several pro-people and development oriented decisions in its tenure of 18 months. Addressing the gathering during ‘Main Punjab Boldaan Hann’ debate, the Chief Minister said that ever since assuming charge of office the state government have taken path breaking initiatives for the well being of every section of society adding that 18 months of Aam Aadmi government has overshadowed the ‘so called achievements’ of previous governments. He said that the state government has ushered a new era of unprecedented development and progress in Punjab. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that due to strenuous efforts of the state government Punjab today leads the country in every arena.
The Chief Minister said that while the previous government had given 56,623 jobs to youth during their tenure of five years from April 1 2017 to March 17, 2022, his government has given jobs to 37,100 youth merely in 18 months. He said that on an average the state government has given jobs to 23,432 youth in one year, which is a record in itself. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that all the jobs have been given completely on the basis of merit by adopting a complete transparent process.
The Chief Minister said that in a historic initiative the services of Ad hoc, contract, daily-wage, work-charged and temporary employees who have completed 10 years of service are being regularized . He said that earlier, these employees were on path of agitation and used to climb atop the water tanks and bear the brunt of water cannons but due to this initiative of government, so far services of 12,351 teachers have been regularized and their salaries have been increased by an average of two to three times. Bhagwant Singh Mann announced that services of about 9,000 more employees will be regularized by the end of this year.
The Chief Minister further said that the state government is committed to make Punjab a frontrunner state in industrial sectors. He said that due to concerted efforts of the state government investments worth Rs 57,796 crore has been firmed up in the state which will provide 2.98 lakh jobs to youth. Bhagwant Singh Mann quipped that while his government has roped in investment worth Rs 57,796 crore in merely 18 months, the Akali government during 2012-2017 had brought investment worth Rs 32,995 crore whereas during the Congress regime in 2017-2022 investment worth Rs 1,17, 048 crore was firmed up.
The Chief Minister said that the state government has taken several decisions with financial prudence due to which the state’s own tax revenue has enhanced by 13.2% as compared to 8% during Akali regime in 2012-17 and 6.1% during Congress regime from 2017-22. Likewise, he said that VAT/ GST collection has also sought upward revision of 16.6%, state excise has increased by 37%, stamp and registration by 27.8% and tax on vehicles by 13.3%. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the state government has checked pilferages in the taxes besides checking corruption due to which income of state government has enhanced.
The Chief Minister said that the state government has restored 1400 km of canals that were abandoned by the successive state governments from many years. He said that the incomplete canals are being constructed to the required lengths adding that the state government has restored 13,471 water channels (Khals) within a year out of over 15000 water channels were abandoned from 20 to 30 years. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that contrary to the earlier policy, now those water channels are being repaired, which were not repaired even after 25 years after the construction.
The Chief Minister said that Punjab has become the first state in the country where no power cut is imposed in the domestic, commercial and industrial sector. Likewise, he said that uninterrupted supply upto 10 hours per day hhave been ensured to the farmers during paddy season. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that 90% consumers in the state are getting zero power bill due to pro-people decisions of the state government.
The Chief Minister said that the state government has set up 664 Aam Aadmi Clinics in the state out of which 236 have been established in urban areas and 428 in rural areas adding that now Sehatmand Punjab Mission worth Rs 550 crore has been launched in state to give a facelift to health sector. He said that 80 types of medicines and 38 diagnostic tests are being provided free of charge to the patients in these clinics.
The Chief Minister further said that during the first year of the School of Eminence, 8358 students have been enrolled and an amount of Rs 200 crores has been earmarked for developing school infrastructure and sports facilities, besides, providing free uniforms to students. He said that an exposure visit of School of Eminence students was organized to ensure that they see the launching of Chandrayaan-3, PSLV and Aditya L1 mission. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that special facilities are being provided by the Punjab government in all the government schools at a cost of Rs 488 crore.
The Chief Minister further said that to check the fatality rate due to road accidents in the state on one hand and to streamline the movement of traffic on the roads of the state on the other, the state government has launched Sadak Surakhya Force. He said that the first of its kind specialized force will act as a pivotal to save several precious lives that are lost in road accidents daily in Punjab adding that this force will be entrusted with the task of checking rash driving, streamlining vehicular movement on roads and others to check the road accidents.
The Chief Minister said that the state government has formulated the Anti Gangster Task Force (AGTF) for checking the menace of organized crime in Punjab. He said that due to strenuous efforts of the state government, Punjab is today the best performing state in terms of law and order. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the ex-gratia grant has been increased to Rs 1 crore in case of death on line of duty of a cop adding that apart from this, Rs 1 crore is paid by the HDFC bank.
The Chief Minister said that in order to keep the youth away from drugs and encourage them to participate in sports, the Punjab government launched “Khedan Watan Punjab Dia” in 2022. He said that for the first time, block, district, and state level competitions of all recognized sports were organised by the Punjab government and 3.50 lakh players participated in these games. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that in the second edition of these games 4.50 lakh players are vying for prize money worth Rs 7.50 crore.