The News Freedom
Chandigarh, January 30
SAS Nagar (Mohali), January 30
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann has distributed appointment letters to 916 young men and women across various government departments, saying the exercise reflected his government’s commitment to transparent recruitment without bribery or favouritism. Speaking at a ceremony at Vikas Bhawan in Mohali on Friday Wednesday, Mann said nearly 64,000 government jobs had been provided on merit since his Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government took office, under its flagship employment drive, Mission Rozgar.
“So far, 63,943 youths have been given government jobs without any bribery or recommendation,” the chief minister said, adding that the distribution of appointment letters would continue in the coming days.
Posting on social media platform X, Mann said the newly appointed candidates had been urged to serve Punjab and its people “with dedication and integrity”, describing the recruitment process as uninterrupted and transparent.
Addressing the gathering, the chief minister criticised previous governments, alleging that government jobs were once cornered by relatives and associates of those in power. He said merit was often sidelined, leaving the aspirations of young people unfulfilled.
“For decades, the rightful opportunities of Punjab’s youth were taken away,” Mann said, adding that even after more than 70 years of Independence, the dreams of freedom fighters such as Bhagat Singh had not been realised.
Mann said his government was working to reverse that legacy by opening access to government employment based purely on merit. He described the appointment ceremony as a “red-letter day” for the new recruits, claiming that none of the nearly 64,000 appointments made so far had been challenged in court.
The chief minister also highlighted a series of welfare measures introduced by his government, including the Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojana, which offers families up to ₹10 lakh in cashless medical treatment—double the previous limit of ₹5 lakh. He said around 65 lakh families would benefit from the scheme.
Mr Mann said the state had shut down 19 toll plazas, saving commuters an estimated ₹64 lakh daily, and had opened 881 Aam Aadmi Clinics to provide free treatment and medicines. He added that 90% of households were now receiving free electricity, while accusing opposition parties of ignoring these initiatives.
Unemployment, he said, was at the root of many social problems, and addressing it remained a priority for his government alongside health, education, power, water, infrastructure and law and order.
Several newly appointed candidates shared their experiences at the event, praising the recruitment process as fair and merit-based. Some said they had secured government jobs without any bribe or recommendation, calling it a rare and meaningful opportunity.
Cabinet ministers, including Dr Balbir Singh and Gurmeet Singh Khudian, were among those present at the ceremony.