Jalandhar, March 10 Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said on Tuesday that the AAP government has fulfilled every promise made to the people of the state and remains committed to honoring all its assurances in the coming years.
Addressing a ‘Lok Milni’ event in Jalandhar in which he interacted with the residents of the Hoshiarpur district, Mann said the government's sole agenda is to build a ‘vibrant Punjab’ (Rangla Punjab) marked by progress and prosperity.
Stating that the Lok Milni programme is emerging as an effective platform to directly address public grievances, Mann said, “Senior officers from the civil and police administration are present during these interactions so that the problems raised by the citizens can be resolved immediately.”
Highlighting the welfare initiatives of the AAP government, Mann said the Mukh Mantri Mawan Dhian Satkar scheme will provide a monthly assistance of Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,500 to women.
He also said the Meri Rasoi Yojna aims to strengthen food security by providing free food kits to 40 lakh families in the state in addition to the wheat distributed under the National Food Security Act.
“Each kit will contain 2 kg of lentils, 2 kg of sugar, 1 kg of salt, 200 gm of turmeric powder, and 1 litre of mustard oil for monthly consumption,” he said.
The government has provided more than 63,000 government jobs to youth in a transparent manner as part of its efforts to address unemployment, the chief minister claimed, adding that providing employment to young people will help keep them away from drugs.
On irrigation and power supply in the state, Mann said the share of canal water in irrigation has increased from 21 per cent to 68 per cent, and the government aims to raise it to 85 per cent by the coming paddy season.
According to the chief minister, 18,349 watercourses covering about 6,900 km have been revived across Punjab and around Rs 6,500 crore has been spent to rejuvenate the canal system, enabling 1,365 villages to receive canal water for the first time.
The rural infrastructure is being strengthened with the construction of more than 49,000 km of roads in villages at a cost of Rs 16,209 crore, he claimed.
Mann also highlighted reforms in education, saying schools of eminence have been established in Punjab with modern facilities, including smart classrooms and laboratories.
On healthcare, he said the Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojna provides cashless treatment of up to Rs 10 lakh to 65 lakh families in the state, while 881 Aam Aadmi Clinics are providing free treatment to the people.
Nearly 90 per cent of households in the state are receiving free electricity, the chief minister claimed.
He also highlighted the launch of the Sadak Surakhiya Force, a road safety initiative comprising 1,597 trained people and 144 vehicles deployed on the accident-prone highways.
Mann added that the state government has closed 19 toll plazas, “saving the public about Rs 64 lakh daily in toll charges”.
"We have fulfilled every promise made to the people of Punjab, and we will continue to work for the progress of the state and prosperity of its people," Mann said.
Punjab goes to the polls next year.