Chandigarh, Jun 20 (PTI) Haryana chief minister Nayab Singh Saini said on Saturday that Punjab could witness faster development under a “double-engine government” and asserted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is committed to strengthening the state.
Addressing a delegation of the Namdev Samaj from Sri Hargobindpur in Punjab’s Gurdaspur district at his residence here, Saini said many youths in Punjab were forced to seek jobs abroad through illegal routes, while Haryana created organised overseas employment opportunities through its Foreign Cooperation Department.
He said the department is processing over 5,500 applications from youths seeking employment abroad, and applicants are required to bear only the cost of their air tickets.
Paying tribute to the sixth Sikh Guru, Guru Hargobind, Saini said his teachings — standing against injustice and protecting weaker sections of society — continue to inspire people and remain relevant today. Expressing concern over Punjab’s development, the Haryana chief minister alleged that successive governments in the state, including those led by the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), had failed to meet public expectations.
He claimed that people from Punjab were looking to the BJP under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership ahead of the next Assembly elections.
Criticising the Punjab government led by chief minister Bhagwant Mann, Saini alleged that its promise to provide women with Rs 1,000 per month had not been fulfilled. He said the Haryana government allocated Rs 5,000 crore in the 2025-26 budget and Rs 6,500 crore in the 2026-27 budget under the Deen Dayal Lado Lakshmi Yojana.
Under the scheme, eligible women receive Rs 2,100 per month directly into their bank accounts, he said. According to Saini, around Rs 1,600 crore has been disbursed to women beneficiaries across Haryana.
The chief minister also said senior citizens in Haryana receive a monthly pension of Rs 3,200 under the Old Age Samman Allowance, compared to Rs 1,500 in Punjab.
Highlighting Haryana’s welfare measures, Saini said if the people of Punjab support the BJP in the next Assembly elections, similar benefits could be extended to the state.
He said a BJP government in Punjab would ensure procurement of farmers’ crops at the Minimum Support Price (MSP), provide compensation for crop losses, promote industrial growth and work towards making Punjab a leading state in the country.
Members of the delegation thanked the chief minister for the invitation and appreciated his outreach towards the people of Punjab. They expressed confidence that the BJP would strengthen its position in the state in the coming Assembly elections. PTI VSD ASD ASD
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