CHANDIGARH, 11th March 2026:
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Wednesday said the opposition abandoned the Budget debate because it could not defend its opposition to giving ₹1,000 to women, asserting that parties which kept people poor for decades are now uncomfortable with the empowerment of ordinary families under the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government.
Describing the fifth annual budget of the Punjab Government as the “Budget of the martyrs’ dreams,” the Chief Minister said the budget is aimed at fulfilling the aspirations of freedom fighters like Bhagat Singh and Udham Singh, while reaffirming that the Punjab Government has delivered on all its election guarantees within four years and is now preparing its agenda for the 2027 Assembly elections. He also said the opposition already knows that a government led by Bhagwant Singh Mann will return to power in 2027, which is why it chose to run away from the debate instead of facing the truth before the people.
Concluding the debate on the Budget for the financial year 2026–27 presented by Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann said, “For the first time in the history of Punjab, a government has fulfilled all its election guarantees within four years. The manifestos of traditional parties were merely formalities. With the support of the people, we will continue serving them with the same spirit in 2027. For the first time, a government treated its budget as a sacred document and fulfilled every promise made to the people.”
Congratulating Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema for presenting a people-friendly budget, the Chief Minister said that the budget focuses on providing facilities to those whose progress is often hindered by financial constraints. “The budget includes providing benefits of the Mukh Mantri Mawan Dhian Satkar Yojna to 97% of women, providing free ration to 40 lakh families under the ‘Meri Rasoi’ scheme, and offering cashless medical treatment up to ₹10 lakh,” noted CM Bhagwant Singh Mann.
He added that earlier budgets were limited to paving streets and drains, whereas the present government is focusing on providing world-class education to children, quality healthcare services, and building medical colleges.
The Chief Minister said that to provide quality healthcare facilities to people and enable youth to fulfil their dream of becoming doctors while staying in Punjab, seven medical colleges are being established in the state. “These colleges will be built in Hoshiarpur, Kapurthala, Sangrur, Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar, Lehragaga, Malerkotla and Ludhiana, which will add 600 MBBS seats,” stated CM Bhagwant Singh Mann. He further noted that 881 Aam Aadmi Clinics have recorded five crore OPD visits, reflecting people’s trust in the healthcare services.
Taking note of the criticism of the Mukh Mantri Mawan Dhian Satkar Yojna by opposition leaders, the Chief Minister said that wealthy leaders of traditional parties are deliberately insulting poor people. “Traditional parties never worked for the welfare of the poor, due to which many families still struggle with poverty and find it difficult to arrange two meals a day,” stated CM Bhagwant Singh Mann.
He added that these leaders are uncomfortable with the economic empowerment of the poor and pointed out that while they educate their own children in convent schools in the hills, they want poor families to remain deprived of quality education.
The Chief Minister said that after the Punjab Government started Schools of Eminence, children from underprivileged families are now clearing examinations such as JEE, JEE Mains and NEET. “The Meri Rasoi scheme will ensure nutritious food for 40 lakh families, especially their children,” added CM Bhagwant Singh Mann. He explained that under the scheme each family will receive a kit containing 2 kg sugar, 2 kg pulses, 1 litre mustard oil, 200 grams turmeric and 1 kg salt.
Highlighting employment generation, the Chief Minister said that the creation of 10,000 posts in the Punjab Police will provide opportunities for youth and further strengthen the force. “The Punjab Government has already provided around 64,000 government jobs to youth so far,” stated CM Bhagwant Singh Mann. He also said that the Sardar Bahadur Amin Chand Armed Forces Preparatory Institute in Hoshiarpur has been completed and admissions will begin this year, enabling youth to prepare for service in the armed forces.
Referring to efforts to ensure canal water reaches tail-end areas and reduce dependence on groundwater, the Chief Minister said that recent data reflects encouraging results. “According to data presented in the Rajya Sabha by the Central Ground Water Board, groundwater levels have increased in 57% of observation wells in Punjab, with the rise mostly ranging between 0 to 4 meters,” stated CM Bhagwant Singh Mann.
He further said that to commemorate the 350th martyrdom anniversary of Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji, a Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur World-Class University is being established at Sri Anandpur Sahib as a tribute to the great Guru. The Chief Minister added that the 650th birth anniversary of Sri Guru Ravidas Ji Maharaj will be celebrated on a large scale and ₹100 crore has been allocated in the budget for this purpose.
Criticising the opposition for constantly opposing welfare initiatives, the Chief Minister said that opposition parties had earlier claimed that free electricity could not be provided, yet the Punjab Government successfully fulfilled the promise. “They also claimed that Bhagwant Singh Mann would not remain Chief Minister even for a year, yet I have been serving as Chief Minister for four years,” noted CM Bhagwant Singh Mann. He asserted that he will continue to serve as Chief Minister even after the 2027 elections.
Reiterating his stand on Punjab’s rights, the Chief Minister said that neighbouring states often call Punjab their “elder brother” but simultaneously attempt to exploit its resources. “Himachal Pradesh sometimes calls Punjab its elder brother while demanding a share in Chandigarh and royalty on water, while Haryana raises the demand for the SYL canal,” stated CM Bhagwant Singh Mann.
He added that because of the firm stand taken by the Punjab Government, for the first time Haryana has not allocated funds for the construction of the SYL canal in its budget.
Taking a dig at the absence of opposition members during the debate, the Chief Minister said that opposition leaders have never been serious about the issues of their constituencies and predicted that they will also disappear from the political map in 2027. “The Congress party is suffering from internal factionalism and cannot return to power,” stated CM Bhagwant Singh Mann. He added that the party’s condition has deteriorated to such an extent that it now wants to contest Assembly elections without declaring a Chief Ministerial face.
Holding the Shiromani Akali Dal responsible for damaging Punjab’s generations, the Chief Minister said that the party pushed youth into the quagmire of drugs and the path of gangsterism, which ruined entire generations. “Zomato was formed much later, but during the Akali government drugs were transported in government vehicles,” stated CM Bhagwant Singh Mann.
The Chief Minister further remarked that the Shiromani Akali Dal, which finished third in the Zila Parishad and Block Samiti elections, is day dreaming about forming the government in Punjab. “The Punjab Government is fully committed to the well-being of Punjab and the prosperity of its people, and no stone will be left unturned to achieve this goal,” affirmed CM Bhagwant Singh Mann, adding that the government will continue safeguarding the interests of the people of Punjab and take every possible step for their welfare.
