FARIDKOT, Aug 15: — Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Thursday marked Independence Day by hoisting the national flag and presenting a detailed account of his government’s achievements, along with new initiatives for road safety, rural development, education, and law enforcement.
Addressing the gathering, Mann said Punjab had recorded a 48 percent drop in accidental deaths, which he attributed to the deployment of a 5,000-strong police force dedicated to traffic management and public safety. “This initiative was even praised by Union Minister Nitin Gadkari,” he noted.
Mann also underscored Punjab’s support for military families, declaring it the first state to provide Rs 1 crore in financial aid to the family of any soldier from the state who is martyred. “The benefit is extended to Punjab Police officers as well, whose families will receive Rs 2 crore — half from the state government and half from their bank,” he said.
On infrastructure, the chief minister announced that a 19,000-kilometre road network had been approved, with construction to begin after the monsoon season. Rural development, he added, will include a drive to clean all polluted ponds in villages, with 154 youth appointed under the Punjab Rural Transformation Fellowship Scheme to help implement government development plans.
Education reforms formed another key part of Mann’s address. He said Parent-Teacher Meetings (PTMs) had been introduced in government schools, campus managers appointed, and CCTV cameras installed. A new curriculum aimed at a “war against drugs” will be rolled out for students of classes XI and XII in 368 government schools.
In the fight against narcotics, Mann announced a reward policy under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, offering Rs 1.20 lakh to officers recovering more than 1 kilogram of heroin. To further strengthen law enforcement, the government has created 1,600 new police posts to address promotion backlogs and expand the force.
“Our focus is on safety, development, and a drug-free Punjab,” Mann said, adding that the state’s initiatives are designed to improve quality of life in both urban and rural areas.
