Bathinda, June 25: Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann announced a five-fold increase in the monthly honorarium for village Sarpanches, raising the amount from ₹2,000 to ₹10,000. Speaking at a state-level Sarpanch Milni event in Bathinda on Wednesday, the Chief Minister declared that the revised fiscal support will officially come into effect starting August 15. He maintained that rural leaders work continuously for the betterment of their communities and deserve structural recognition alongside financial security to sustain their households.
The Chief Minister asserted that the overall progress of the state relies heavily on the development of its villages. He assured the gathered leadership that the administration has secured ample funds for rural development and urged local representatives to focus purely on the objective execution of public works.
“Today, we have taken a major decision,” Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann stated through an official update. “From August 15, every Sarpanch in Punjab will receive an honorarium of ₹10,000 per month. Panchayats are the first step of democracy, and Sarpanches serve their villages day and night. They deserve a respectable honorarium for their dedicated service.”
Contrasting the current decision with historical governance, the Chief Minister noted that previous administrations had committed to a smaller allowance of ₹1,200 which was never delivered, forcing local leaders to struggle for basic administrative disbursements. He affirmed that the current government ensured the initial baseline amount and has now substantially enhanced it to empower grassroots representatives.
“Panchayats are known as the foundation of democracy because they possess immense strength and their decisions are respected and followed by the entire village,” CM Bhagwant Singh Mann declared. “It is the bounden duty of Sarpanches to safeguard the interests of villagers and fulfil their aspirations.”
The discourse turned toward operational transparency, where the Chief Minister requested all elected village heads to systematically remove factional groupism from local governance. He maintained that once an election concludes, a Sarpanch belongs to the entire locality and must treat every resident with equal fairness. He concluded by reminding the delegates that the proper utilization of public funds should prioritize foundational assets like digital libraries, educational centers, and sustainable solar street lighting across rural Punjab.
