Malerkotla, August 12, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Wednesday inaugurated a newly constructed five-storey government school building for girls in Malerkotla, describing it as a special Independence Day gift for the daughters of the historic town.
The 54,000-square-foot building was completed at a cost of ₹6.34 crore against an approved estimate of ₹6.39 crore, resulting in a saving of ₹5.25 lakh to the state exchequer, Mann said. The facility includes libraries, smart classrooms, common rooms, washrooms and other modern amenities.
Mann said the upgraded school would enable girls from Malerkotka and adjoining villages to access quality education closer to home. Recalling the condition of the institution when he was an MP, he said the school earlier operated in two shifts during winters and had an unsafe building.
The Chief Minister said Punjab had moved from 27th position in education when his government assumed office in 2022 to first place today. He attributed the improvement to teacher training, Schools of Eminence and other education initiatives.
According to Mann, 882 government-school students qualified for NEET in 2026, compared with 80 in 2021, while 361 government-school students cleared JEE. He said 118 Schools of Eminence were being established and dedicated bus services were being provided to more than 15,000 girl students to prevent distance from disrupting their education.
He also said a recently enacted law would restrict annual fee hikes to five per cent in 7,800 private schools, benefiting more than 32 lakh students. More than 24 lakh parents, he added, participated in Parent-Teacher Meetings held in government schools across Punjab.
Health, employment and infrastructure
Mann said the state had established 1,090 Aam Aadmi Clinics, through which more than five crore people had benefited. He announced that the Nawab Sher Khan Medical College would soon be opened in Malerkotla, providing healthcare and employment opportunities.
He said more than 43,000 kilometres of rural link roads were being constructed, while the government’s anti-drug campaign, Yudh Nashean Virudh, had weakened the drug menace.
The Chief Minister also highlighted more than 69,000 government jobs provided on merit, saying Japanese steel company Aichi had invested ₹1,100 crore in Punjab and Tata Steel had established its second-largest steel plant in the state near Ludhiana after Jamshedpur.
On healthcare, Mann said the Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojna provides cashless treatment of up to ₹10 lakh to every resident family and that people had already received free treatment worth more than ₹937 crore.
He said the Mawan Dheeyan Satkar Yojna provides ₹1,500 per month to eligible SC women and ₹1,000 per month to every woman in Punjab. The scheme has a target of more than one crore women, with 72.13 lakh beneficiaries already receiving benefits, he said.
Agriculture and sports
Mann said the proportion of canal water utilisation in Punjab had increased from 22 per cent when he took office to 88 per cent, while farmers were now receiving electricity during the daytime.
He also said Punjab would host the Asian Hockey Champions Trophy in October, describing the event as an opportunity to reinforce the state’s identity as the cradle of Indian hockey and encourage young people to take up sports.
Political attack
The Chief Minister criticised previous governments, alleging that they had painted school buildings in the name of Smart Schools without ensuring adequate teachers and infrastructure. He also attacked the Congress and Shiromani Akali Dal, alleging that their leaders remained focused on power and family interests.
Mann accused the BJP of attempting to create communal divisions in Punjab ahead of elections and appealed to people not to fall for what he described as provocative politics.
“Punjab is a very fertile land where every seed can grow, but the seed of hatred cannot grow here because our bond of communal harmony is very strong,” he said, asserting that Punjab’s tradition of religious harmony would withstand attempts to divide people.
He also targeted SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal, saying the era of political “musical chairs” was over and that people had elected the AAP government.
Earlier, after inaugurating the school, Mann posted on X that the new building was a special gift to Punjab’s daughters on the 80th Independence Day and highlighted the reported NEET and JEE results, school bus services for girls and the state’s education ranking.
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