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SAD will reserve all govt jobs for Punjabis if voted to power: Sukhbir
Addressing a “Punjab Bachao” rally in Ferozepur’s Zira town, Sukhbir said the policy will ensure that benefits of industrial growth remained within Punjab
Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Friday said that all government jobs will be reserved for Punjabis and new industries will be required to employ at least 75% local youth to tackle unemployment in the state if the party was voted to power in the assembly polls next year.
Addressing a “Punjab Bachao” rally in Zira town, Badal said the policy would ensure that benefits of industrial growth remain within Punjab. He added that youth will also be supported through interest-free loans of up to ₹10 lakh, repayable over 10 years, to encourage self-employment.
Targeting the Congress, AAP and BJP, Badal said the SAD alone had a Punjab-centric vision focused on the welfare of the poor, farmers and workers. He recalled that former chief minister Parkash Singh Badal had laid the foundation of social welfare initiatives such as the shagun, old age pension and Atta-dal schemes. He also credited the previous Akali governments for infrastructure development, including free tubewell connections, mandis, irrigation channels, thermal plants and expressways, as well as administrative reforms like Sewa Kendras and Saanjh Kendras.
He accused the AAP government of prioritising publicity over governance and alleged attempts to hand over prime land in Mohali to private builders. He warned that such auctions will be cancelled if the SAD returned to power and cautioned officials against actions that compromised Punjab’s interests.
In his address, senior SAD leader Bikram Singh Majithia alleged a breakdown of law and order under the AAP regime and accused the government of compromising Punjab’s interests, including its water rights.
