Chandigarh, March 9: The Punjab Vidhan Sabha witnessed heated debates on Monday following the presentation of the state’s 2.6 lakh crore budget. During the session, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann mentioned upcoming industrial growth, stating that a major 3,200 crore Tata project will soon be established in the state to bolster the local economy and create thousands of jobs.
The Chief Minister maintained that his administration has shifted the political culture by prioritizing an “agenda on paper” that leads to actual implementation. He stated that the government has fulfilled critical promises, such as ensuring farmers no longer have to work in the “biting cold of winters” due to improved electricity schedules for agricultural fields.
“We have given all that we promised,” CM Mann affirmed during his address.
The session also saw contributions from Cabinet Minister Aman Arora, who stated that the government has provided 76,000 houses for the homeless and plans to deliver another one lakh this year. Finance Minister Harpal Cheema declared that 63,000 jobs have already been distributed to the state’s youth, contrasting this with the track records of previous administrations.
Opposition members, however, maintained a critical stance on several social and legal issues. MLA Manpreet Ayali noted that the government has yet to fulfill its 2022 pledge regarding the Bargari sacrilege case and called for the immediate release of prisoners who have completed their sentences.
“Bandi Sikhs, many of whom have completed their tenure of punishment in jail, should be released immediately,” Ayali asserted. He also brought attention to the ongoing protest by Gurjit Singh Khalsa in Patiala, urging the House to address the matter before the session concludes.
