Fatehgarh Sahib, Oct 3 (PTI) Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Saturday said that in four-and-a-half years, his government undertook extensive development work as he compared it with the 22 years of the Congress and Akali rule.
Mann further said Punjab is now seeing a clear contrast between ‘Kaam Ki Rajneeti’ and the family-centric politics of the past.
He was addressing a gathering at the ‘Lok Milni’ programme here.
He listed education, healthcare, electricity, irrigation, employment and infrastructure among the key areas where his government had focused on delivery.
He said that education remained one of the central pillars of his government’s agenda.Government schools, which had suffered years of neglect, were being transformed through improved infrastructure, modern facilities and greater focus on the quality of education, the chief minister said.
“Government schools are not merely buildings; they are the future of Punjab’s children. We are transforming these institutions so that students get an environment where they can compete with the best,” he said.
Mann said that his government’s focus was on reducing the financial burden on families, strengthening public institutions and delivering tangible improvements in essential services.
“Governance has meaning only when its benefits reach the doorstep of the common man. Our government is working to reduce the financial burden on families and strengthen essential public services,” he said.
Around 90 per cent of households in Punjab were benefiting from free electricity, while the state government had also introduced health initiatives under which families could receive treatment cover of up to Rs 10 lakh, said Mann.
He said these interventions were aimed at ensuring that public resources translated into direct relief for ordinary families.
“Our approach is clear: public money must be used for public welfare. Whether it is electricity, healthcare, education or irrigation, the benefits must reach ordinary people,” he said.
He said that his government had also focused on expanding canal irrigation, with canal water now reaching 88 per cent of agricultural fields, according to figures cited by him. He said that strengthening irrigation infrastructure was essential for reducing farmers’ dependence on groundwater and supporting the agricultural economy of Punjab.
“Expanding canal irrigation is important not only for agriculture but also for protecting Punjab’s groundwater. We have to strengthen the state’s agricultural economy while protecting its natural resources,” he said.
Highlighting the government’s initiatives for women, he said that financial support for mothers and sisters was an important component of its welfare-oriented approach. He said that the government was working to ensure that women received greater economic support and that welfare measures reached families directly.
Punjab had faced serious challenges over the decades, including unemployment, drug abuse, declining groundwater levels, inadequate public infrastructure and weaknesses in public institutions, he said.
He said that addressing these challenges required sustained policy intervention rather than temporary political announcements.
“Punjab’s development cannot be achieved through announcements alone. It requires sustained work, strong public institutions and a continuous focus on the welfare of the people,” said Mann. PTI CHS APL
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