Mann lists power, jobs, welfare gains as AAP govt marks 4 years in office

Chandigarh: With AAP govt completing four years in office, Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann on Monday claimed that his govt fulfilled its major "guarantees", asserting his party's "politics of work" successfully restored the trust of voters who rejected traditional parties in 2022.In a detailed report, the CM highlighted transformative shifts across power, education, and healthcare sectors, while taking sharp aim at the Congress, Akalis, and the BJP.Mann highlighted that 90% Punjab households now received zero electricity bills, while canal irrigation expanded from 26% to 78% of the state's fields. On the employment front, he noted the delivery of 65,000 govt jobs on merit and the creation of 5.5 lakh private-sector opportunities, bolstered by a record Rs 1.55 lakh crore in industrial investment, including a massive upcoming project by Tata Steel.Mann told media, "In four years, Punjab govt worked tirelessly for the welfare of people and fulfilled the promises made to them. The coming year will be devoted to taking Punjab to a new zenith of development and prosperity."Mann emphasised on a ‘Sikhya Kranti' in education, where over 9,000 smart classrooms were established and 15,000 teachers regularised, resulting in record-breaking JEE and NEET clearances for govt school students in 2026. In healthcare, the state opened 881 Aam Aadmi Clinics (AACs) and launched the Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojna, providing free treatment up to Rs 10 lakh, he said.He cited the Rs 1,000 monthly allowance to women and Rs 1,500 to women from SC families while claiming that social welfare was a priority of his govt. "Free travel for women in Punjab govt buses has also been started. More than 14.5 crore free bus journeys are availed every year," he added.On law and order, Mann said the ‘Yudh Nashean Virudh' campaign led to record drug seizures and the state's crime rate now sat iat nearly half the national average. He criticised Congress, Akalis, and BJP, labelling their past promises as "jumlas".In sports sector, Mann said his govt was constructing 3,000 village playgrounds with an investment of Rs 1,100 crore, with plans for 6,000 more. To promote fitness and curb drug dependency, 6,000 indoor gyms are being established across rural areas, he said. He added the state honoured its athletic icons by awarding Rs 1 crore each to Olympic medal-winning hockey players and Rs 4.91 crore to 2025 women's cricket world cup winners.He said farmers were given eight hours of uninterrupted daytime electricity for irrigation, a first. He added 18,000 neglected canals were revamped, bringing water back to fields. He said govt ensured Punjab's farmers received Rs 416 per quintal for sugarcane, the highest in India. Additionally, the administration addressed the stubble-burning crisis by providing 1.58 lakh crop residue management machines and distributed the nation's highest crop loss compensation at Rs 20,000 per acre.He added rural development and infrastructure saw a major boost, with 76,000 families receiving support to build homes in just four years, nearly doubling the output of the previous five-year administration. A massive road repair scheme is currently rebuilding 40,000 kilometres of rural link roads, backed by a five-year maintenance guarantee. Furthermore, the state cleaned over 13,000 village ponds and upgraded mandis with solar panels and covered sheds, while the MGNREGA programme generated 2.3 crore workdays with an investment of Rs 1,100 crore in wages for 9 lakh workers. He added that 68,389 FIRs were registered and 92,264 persons arrested under Yudh Nashean Virudh. On law and order, Mann said, "Punjab govt launched ‘Gangsteran Te Vaar' and Operation Prahar to ensure organised gangs are not able to operate from the soil of Punjab." He added, "So far, 44,424 raids have been carried out by teams of 12,000 policemen, which led to the arrest of 14,722 gangsters, including 711 proclaimed offenders."He added, "India's first Sadak Surakhya Force was launched in Punjab, due to which accident deaths have been reduced by 50.12% and more than 47,000 people received timely assistance during road accidents." He added that several toll plazas across Punjab have been closed, which is saving Punjabis around Rs 64 lakh every day.BIG NUMBERS65,000 government jobs provided on merit5.5 lakh private-sector job opportunities claimedRs 1.55 lakh crore industrial investment announced881 Aam Aadmi Clinics opened across the state9,000+ smart classrooms set up in government schools1.58 lakh crop residue management machines distributed13,000+ village ponds cleaned under rural development works‘May host Hockey Asia Cup'Talking about upcoming initiatives, Mann stated, "Punjab is most likely to host the Men's Hockey Asia Cup after a long gap. The ultra-modern stadium at Burlton Park in Jalandhar will be ready, while the stadium in Mohali will also be used for the tournament." He announced a world-class international cricket stadium will soon be constructed in Amritsar, which will boost sports and help keep youth away from drugs.