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Punjab: CM Mann slams SAD, Cong for ‘neglecting’ education sector
Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann on Tuesday accused the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) the Congress of neglecting the education sector and charged them of being focused on “promoting” the families of their top leadership while in power
BATHINDA: Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann on Tuesday accused the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) the Congress of neglecting the education sector and charged them of being focused on “promoting” the families of their top leadership while in power.
Addressing a gathering at Jhunir village of Mansa district after laying the foundation stones of projects worth ₹95 crore for the Sardulgarh assembly segment, he said the new projects will give a push to employment opportunities to youth in Mansa — the district battling with the lowest literacy rate in the state.
He lauded the Fatehgarh Sahnewali panchayat for giving five acres of land free of cost to develop a government industrial training institute (ITI), the foundation stone of which was laid on Tuesday. The initiative will provide skill-oriented training and technical courses to the youth, he added.
“A new ITI complex will be developed at the cost of ₹24.5 crore. This institution, with a capacity of 240 students, will offer training in five trades: Electrician, mechanic for electric vehicles, refrigeration and air conditioner technician, industrial robotics and digital manufacturing and machining technician. Mansa was earlier labelled as a backward area and even the state used to issue certificates for it, but the previous political regimes made no efforts for the progress of this region,” said the CM.
“The Akalis deliberately kept Punjab’s children uneducated while their political families thrived. The Congress and SAD were never concerned about public progress but only about securing power for their sons, daughters and relatives,” he alleged.
Mann emphasised that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government is utilising the state exchequer transparently and he is personally responsible for ensuring that every penny is spent honestly on the welfare and advancement of the people.
“The AAP government is running on a new engine of development, while the engines of the BJP, Akali Dal and Congress have become outdated and incapable of driving the state forward,” said Mann, referring to AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal as the guiding force behind various innovative welfare schemes rolled out.
Taking jibes at the Akalis, Mann said people should remember that when the entire farming community was fighting against the now-scrapped three Central farm laws for their rights, the Akalis had supported the Modi government.
“The Badals raised their voice against the farm laws only after the agrarian community targeted the Akalis. They were praising the anti-farmer rules just to save the ministerial berth (of the Bathinda MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal) in the Union ministry,” added the CM.
Recounting his government’s achievements, Mann claimed that 118 Schools of Eminence have been set up and teachers have been sent abroad for training to improve education standards, 881 Aam Aadmi Clinics have been opened to provide free healthcare and over 90 per cent households are receiving free electricity.
Use of canal water for irrigation has increased significantly, and thousands of watercourses have been revived to benefit farmers, he said, adding that more than 63,000 government jobs have been provided without bribery or recommendation.
