Amritsar, August 15, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Punjab Cabinet Minister Aman Arora unfurled the national Tricolour at Guru Nanak Stadium in Amritsar on Saturday as the district celebrated the 80th Independence Day with patriotic fervour, highlighting the state government’s initiatives in employment, education, healthcare, women’s empowerment and infrastructure.
Addressing the gathering after the flag-hoisting ceremony, Arora paid tribute to the freedom fighters and martyrs who sacrificed their lives for India’s independence, including Shaheed-e-Azam Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, Sukhdev, Kartar Singh Sarabha, Udham Singh, Madan Lal Dhingra, Lala Lajpat Rai and Diwan Singh Kalepani.
He said Punjab had made an unparalleled contribution to the freedom struggle and that the government led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann was committed to fulfilling the aspirations of the martyrs.
Arora noted that Mann had taken oath as Chief Minister at Khatkar Kalan, the ancestral village of Bhagat Singh, while portraits of Bhagat Singh and Dr B.R. Ambedkar had been installed in government offices. He also cited the naming of Mohali International Airport after Bhagat Singh and installation of his statue there.
Over 69,000 government jobs provided
Arora said the state government had provided more than 69,000 government jobs since April 2022, with appointments made across various departments.
Between April 2022 and June 30, 2026, the Department of Employment Generation, Skill Development and Training organised 7,225 job fairs, through which 4,03,794 candidates secured employment. Bank loans were sanctioned to 2,05,085 candidates to help them establish businesses.
Under the Punjab Skill Development Scheme, 10,542 candidates were trained and 876 secured employment, while the Punjab Skill Development Mission trained 1,24,197 candidates over four years and helped 61,267 find jobs.
₹2,274 crore transferred to women
Highlighting women’s empowerment, the minister said more than 74.59 lakh women had registered under the Mukh Mantri Mawan-Dhiyan Satkaar Yojana. As of August 1, 2026, financial assistance of ₹2,274.42 crore had been transferred into the bank accounts of 65.62 lakh beneficiaries.
The scheme has a budget allocation of ₹9,300 crore. Arora said ₹298 crore had also been released during the current financial year under the free bus travel scheme for women.
The state government is providing 300 units of free electricity every month for domestic consumption, resulting in zero electricity bills for more than 90 per cent of households, he said. Farmers are also being provided free and uninterrupted power.
Focus on health and education
Arora said the Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojana provides cashless treatment of up to ₹10 lakh at more than 900 government and empanelled private hospitals. The scheme covers 65 lakh eligible families.
In Amritsar district, 2,83,762 cards have been issued under the scheme and 24,257 beneficiaries have received treatment involving expenditure of more than ₹98.51 crore.
More than six crore people have availed free treatment at the state’s 1,090 Aam Aadmi Clinics, where 107 types of medicines and 47 diagnostic tests are provided free of cost. Another 354 essential medicines are being supplied free at government health institutions across Punjab.
Amritsar currently has 93 Aam Aadmi Clinics, with 52 more being opened soon. So far, 52,95,989 people have received treatment through the clinics in the district.
On education, Arora said the Punjab Education Revolution had introduced AI, entrepreneurship and drug-prevention curricula in government schools. He claimed Punjab had surpassed states including Kerala to secure the first position in school education nationally.
A new Government Degree College costing ₹15 crore is being established in the Ajnala area, while a Government Polytechnic College is being constructed at Mallian village in the Jandiala Guru Assembly constituency at a cost of ₹15 crore.
Heritage and welfare initiatives
Arora said Punjab had allocated ₹100 crore for year-long programmes marking the 650th Parkash Purab of Sri Guru Ravidas Ji.
A Sri Guru Ravidas Ji Bani Adhiyan Kendra is being developed at Dera Sachkhand Ballan in Jalandhar over more than 10 acres at an estimated cost of ₹37 crore. As part of the celebrations, Guru Ravidas Ji’s gardens are being established across 650 acres, while 6.5 lakh saplings and 6.5 lakh commemorative flags are being distributed.
Four Shobha Yatras are scheduled to travel from Varanasi, Faridkot, Bathinda and Jammu to Sri Khuralgarh Sahib in the first week of October. Fifty mobile vans are also visiting 13,000 villages across Punjab to screen documentaries on Guru Ravidas Ji’s life, philosophy and teachings.
Arora said the government had increased ex-gratia assistance for the families of martyred soldiers from ₹50 lakh to ₹1 crore, with Agniveers also covered under the scheme. Families of police personnel who die in service are eligible for ₹1 crore assistance.
Financial assistance for Dharmi Fauji personnel has been increased from ₹10,000 to ₹12,000 per month, while the pension for freedom fighters and their heirs has risen from ₹9,400 to ₹11,000. A one per cent reservation has also been provided to freedom fighters’ heirs in direct recruitment by the state government.
Administrative reforms and infrastructure
The minister highlighted the Bhagwant Mann Sarkar Tuhade Dwar initiative, under which 437 citizen-centric services can be accessed at people’s doorsteps through the 1076 helpline. As many as 1.17 lakh pensioners have also been provided the facility to submit life certificates and complete e-KYC from home.
The budget for the Rangla Punjab Vikas Scheme has been doubled from ₹585 crore in 2025-26 to ₹1,170 crore for 2026-27. Priority areas include education, healthcare, sports, drinking water, sanitation and rural development.
Arora also highlighted free electricity, canal-water supply to tail-end areas, pond cleaning, anti-drug measures, the anti-corruption campaign, rural sports grounds, support for sportspersons and initiatives aimed at industrial development.
He called upon Punjabis to work collectively towards building a prosperous and “Rangla Punjab”.
Parade and cultural programmes
The Independence Day function featured a march past commanded by Parade Commander ACP Gagandeep Singh, with contingents from the Punjab Police, Punjab Women Police, Punjab Home Guards, NCC, Scouts and Guides, along with Punjab Police and school bands.
Students from various schools and colleges presented programmes showcasing patriotism and Punjabi culture.
Arora honoured freedom-fighter families, Veer Naris and achievers from different fields. The District Red Cross Society distributed tricycles, wheelchairs and sewing machines among needy people.
The district administration honoured Arora with a model of Sri Darbar Sahib and a memento.
Among those present were Ajnala MLA Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal, Amritsar Central MLA Ajay Gupta, Amritsar West MLA Jasbir Singh Sandhu, Amritsar East MLA Jeevanjot Kaur, Amritsar South MLA Inderbir Singh Nijjar, Attari MLA Jaswinder Singh Ramdas, District and Sessions Judge Jatinder Kaur, Mayor Jatinder Singh Moti Bhatia, Deputy Commissioner Dalwinderjit Singh, Commissioner of Police Harmanbir Singh Gill and other elected representatives, officials and dignitaries.
FOLLOW NOW
