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Mann rolls out ₹177-crore development projects in Batala
The package includes over ₹95.72 crore for municipal corporation projects, ₹16 crore for works by the mandi board and ₹65 crore for road construction by the Punjab public works department
Chief minister Bhagwant Mann on Thursday announced development projects worth ₹177 crore in Batala, outlining a mix of infrastructure upgrades and civic works aimed at improving urban services and connectivity.
The package includes over ₹95.72 crore for municipal corporation projects, ₹16 crore for works by the mandi board and ₹65 crore for road construction by the public works department (PWD). Additional repair works worth ₹42.56 crore and ₹34.97 crore were also announced. Key initiatives include the construction of new bridges, a modern bus stand to ease traffic congestion, and ₹14.81 crore allocated for new police lines.
Addressing a gathering, Mann said the people of Punjab had ended “three generations of Akali-Congress loot” in 2022 and would not allow their return to power in 2027. He accused previous governments of deliberately weakening anti-sacrilege laws to shield offenders.
“The Akalis deliberately framed a weak law against beadbi (sacrilege) to ensure perpetrators were not punished. They feared accountability themselves, so they kept the laws weak,” he said.
The CM highlighted the passage of the Jaagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar (Amendment) Bill, 2026, stating that it provides for stricter punishment in sacrilege cases. “Now, anyone found guilty will face exemplary action as a deterrent,” he added.
Taking a swipe at the Shiromani Akali Dal’s ‘Punjab Bachao Yatra’, Mann termed it a “parivar bachao yatra,” alleging that it was aimed at protecting family interests rather than public welfare.
Senior AAP leader and party’s Punjab in-charge Manish Sisodia said Mann had emerged as the most popular CM in the state. Cabinet minister Lal Chand Kataruchak, MLA Amansher Singh Sherry Kalsi, and other leaders also attended the programme.
