SEECHEWAL (JALANDHAR), MAY 29 — A modern hockey astroturf was officially unveiled Thursday at the Sant Avtar Singh Memorial Hockey Stadium by Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, marking an upgrade for rural sports infrastructure in the Jalandhar district.
The chief minister joined Rajya Sabha MP Sant Balbir Singh Seechewal at the village event, which coincided with the 38th death anniversary religious congregation dedicated to Sant Baba Avtar Singh Ji. During his address to the gathering, Chief Minister Mann declared that state-backed projects in education, health, and environmental preservation are actively reshaping the socioeconomic fabric of Punjab.
“Punjab has very fertile land and anything can germinate on it except hatred and animosity,” Chief Minister Mann stated. “Punjab is the sacred land of great Gurus, saints and seers who have shown us the path of mutual love and tolerance. The social bonding among people is already very strong and people should come together to strengthen it further.”
The chief minister reported substantial turnarounds in environmental management, attributing a 2-to-4-meter rise in regional water tables to systemic infrastructure repairs. According to state data, the government deployed 14,000 kilometers of watercourses to deliver 21,000 cusecs of irrigation water to parched fields while successfully recharging 21 lakh cubic metres of groundwater.
Reflecting on spiritual and environmental legacy, Chief Minister Mann praised the “Seechewal Model” championed by Rajya Sabha MP Seechewal, recalling that the green expanse was once dominated by barren sand dunes. He urged citizens to participate in large-scale tree planting drives to safeguard natural resources for future generations.
The chief minister also addressed legislative measures regarding religious desecration, explaining that recent statutory changes under the Jaagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar Amendment Act 2026 ensure strict legal consequences without loopholes.
“Under this law, anyone attempting desecration can face imprisonment ranging from ten years to life imprisonment along with a fine of ₹50 lakh,” Chief Minister Mann affirmed, adding that property assets could be liquidated to fulfill unpaid fines.
On public health and social security, the chief minister noted that 30 lakh families have already secured health cards under the Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojana. He concluded by explaining the budget allocation of ₹9,300 crore for the Mawan Dhiyan Satkar Yojana, a financial autonomy program designed to distribute monthly direct bank transfers of ₹1,000 to women generally, and ₹1,500 to women from Scheduled Caste communities.
