Ferozepur, August 15, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Saturday said the 80th year of Independence would mark a new phase of economic empowerment for women in the state, with more than 65 lakh beneficiaries already receiving financial assistance under the Mawan Dheeyan Satkar Yojna.
Addressing the state-level Independence Day function at Cantt Board Stadium in Ferozepur after unfurling the national Tricolour, Mann said 74.59 lakh women had registered under the scheme, while ₹2,274.42 crore had been transferred as Samman Rashi to the bank accounts of 65.62 lakh women.
He described the initiative as a step towards giving mothers and daughters greater financial freedom to spend their own money according to their wishes. He appealed to the remaining eligible women to register and avail themselves of the scheme.
Mann said his government was working to fulfil the aspirations of freedom fighters and build a prosperous and “Rangla Punjab” through reforms in education, healthcare, employment, irrigation, public safety and social welfare.
Paying tribute to Shaheed-e-Azam Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, Sukhdev and other national heroes at Hussainiwala earlier in the day, the Chief Minister said Punjab had made an unparalleled contribution to India’s freedom struggle and had paid an enormous price during Partition.
He recalled the sacrifices of Punjabis in movements including the Kuka, Pagri Sambhal Jatta, Ghadar and Babbar Akali movements, as well as the Jallianwala Bagh massacre. He said more than 80% of those who were hanged, sentenced to life imprisonment or exiled to Kala Pani during the freedom struggle were Punjabis.
Mann also warned against attempts to disturb Punjab’s peace, communal harmony and brotherhood. “There was no place for hatred in Punjab, there is none today, and there will never be any,” he said, stressing the state’s tradition of Sarbat Da Bhala.
Women, pilgrimage and welfare
The Chief Minister said more than four lakh pilgrims had travelled to religious destinations including Sri Anandpur Sahib, Naina Devi and Amritsar under the Mukh Mantri Tirath Yatra Yojna. The scheme has also been extended to destinations outside Punjab, including Haridwar-Rishikesh, Sri Khatu Shyam-Salasar Balaji and Mathura-Vrindavan.
He said ₹100 crore had been allocated for year-long celebrations of the 650th Parkash Purab of Sri Guru Ravidass Ji Maharaj. He also recalled the commemoration of the 350th Shaheedi Diwas of Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib Ji.
Under the Meri Rasoi Scheme, ration kits containing pulses, sugar, salt, turmeric powder and mustard oil are being distributed along with wheat to 40 lakh needy families, Mann said.
Education and healthcare
Mann said Punjab had surpassed Kerala to emerge as the country’s number one state in the education sector, according to the state government’s assessment.
He said 882 government-school students had cleared NEET, while 361 had qualified JEE Mains and 64 had cleared JEE Advanced. In 2021, only 80 government-school students had cleared NEET, he said.
Principals and teachers are being sent to Singapore, Finland and Ahmedabad for training, while Schools of Eminence are being developed to provide students with better educational opportunities.
The government is providing bus services to 15,000 girls for commuting to school, while private schools have been barred from increasing fees by more than 5%, a move that Mann said had benefited more than 32 lakh students studying in 7,800 private schools.
On healthcare, he said the Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojna was providing cashless treatment of up to ₹10 lakh per family. More than three lakh patients had so far received treatment worth ₹1,100 crore.
The state has 1,090 operational Aam Aadmi Clinics, where around 92,000 people seek treatment daily, he said. Their OPDs have recorded a cumulative footfall of around six crore patients.
Canal irrigation and agriculture
Mann said the state government had spent ₹7,200 crore to expand canal irrigation. According to him, the area receiving canal water had increased from 26% to 80%, with coverage rising from 20.89 lakh acres in 2022 to 60.30 lakh acres currently.
For the first time, canal water has reached 1,587 villages that had never previously received it, he said. Farmers are also being supplied electricity for agricultural operations during daytime hours.
Punjab is offering the country’s highest sugarcane price of ₹416 per quintal, Mann said.
War against drugs
Mann said Punjab’s anti-drug campaign, Yudh Nashean Virudh, had completed 500 days, with 56,394 cases registered against drug traffickers and more than 75,000 traffickers arrested.
Village- and ward-level Defence Committees have been formed, with around 1.25 lakh volunteers working to make their communities drug-free. Given Punjab’s 553-km border with Pakistan, anti-drone systems have also been deployed to prevent cross-border drug smuggling, he said.
Jobs, industry and road safety
The Chief Minister said more than 69,000 government jobs had been provided to young people on merit through what he described as a transparent “No Cash, No Farmaish” system.
He said investments worth ₹1.83 lakh crore had come into Punjab since March 2022, with the potential to generate employment for around six lakh young people. Companies including Japan’s Aichi Steel and Tata Steel are among those investing in the state, he said.
Mann highlighted the Sadak Surakhya Force, saying it had provided first aid to more than 25,000 people and transported over 35,000 injured persons to hospitals. He said the state’s accident mortality rate had declined by more than 50%.
Around 45,000 km of roads are being renovated and upgraded, while Easy Registry and Easy Jamabandi services have been introduced to reduce corruption in tehsil-level services.
He said around 90% of households had been receiving free electricity and zero electricity bills since July 2022.
Families of soldiers who make the supreme sacrifice in defence of the country are being provided financial assistance of ₹1 crore, Mann said.
Sports and Independence Day celebrations
Mann said Punjab had earmarked ₹1,744 crore for sports and was hosting the Hockey Asian Champions Trophy for the first time since Independence, with matches scheduled in Jalandhar and Mohali during October and November.
The fourth season of Khedan Watan Punjab Diyan will begin in Bathinda on September 5. The Chief Minister said the event would feature competitions in 38 sports disciplines.
He also highlighted Punjab’s representation in Indian sport, naming basketball captain Palpreet Singh Brar, hockey captain Harmanpreet Singh, men’s cricket captain Shubman Gill and women’s cricket captain Harmanpreet Kaur.
Earlier, Mann took the salute at the Independence Day parade featuring contingents of the Punjab Police, BSF, PAP, Himachal Police, Punjab Home Guards, NCC, Scouts and Guides and the Punjab Police Band. The parade was commanded by Parade Commander Dhirendra Verma, IPS, with Assistant Parade Commander Preet Kamal Singh, PPS.
School and college students presented a PT show, Giddha, Bhangra and other traditional folk performances. Tableaus depicting government initiatives including Yudh Nashean Virudh, Mawan Dheeyan Satkar Yojna, Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojna, agriculture and forest-sector programmes were also displayed.
Chief Secretary KAP Sinha, DGP Gaurav Yadav and other dignitaries attended the function.
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