Mansa, Feb 24: Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann laid the foundation stone for a new Industrial Training Institute (ITI) at Fatehgarh Sahnianwali village today, utilizing the occasion to address long-standing developmental gaps in the region. The project, valued at Rs 24.5 crore, is situated within the Sardulgarh Assembly constituency and is expected to provide 240 seats across various technical disciplines.
During his address, the Chief Minister asserted that previous regimes had historically labeled the area as “backward” to avoid genuine infrastructure investment. He stated that rather than fostering growth, earlier governments focused on distributing certificates acknowledging the region’s lack of development. Mann further declared that past education policies under the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and Congress had systematically weakened academic standards across the state.
The Chief Minister maintained that his administration is committed to a transparent governance model, contrasting it with what he described as the family-centric politics of his predecessors. “I will not allow even Re 1 to go astray,” Mann affirmed, adding that his government remains accountable for ensuring no “black sheep” are spared in matters of public funds.
In terms of infrastructure achievements, the Chief Minister noted that canal irrigation coverage has risen from approximately 21 percent in 2022 to 68 percent under the current tenure. He announced several additional projects for the Mansa district, including a Rs 31.2-crore upgrade for the Mansa-Talwandi road and over Rs 33 crore for new irrigation channels.
Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains and former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia were also in attendance. Sisodia stated that the AAP was founded to integrate educational priorities into the national political landscape. Minister Bains added that the new ITI would focus on ensuring that students are prepared for immediate employment or entrepreneurship upon completion of their training.
