Chandigarh, March 26
Cabinet Minister Mohinder Bhagat has expressed gratitude to Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann and Finance Minister S. Harpal Singh Cheema for allocating substantial funds to Jalandhar in the state budget presented in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha today. The Horticulture Minister also welcomed the Rs 137 crore allocation to the Horticulture Department, stating that the funds would significantly boost crop diversification and horticulture development.
Mr. Bhagat informed that around 50 km of world-class roads will be constructed in Jalandhar, Amritsar, Ludhiana, and Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar (Mohali), with Rs 140 crore earmarked for the first year. The project aims to upgrade key road sections to international standards, integrating lane markings, pedestrian-friendly footpaths, landscaped medians, underground electric wiring, modern street lighting, water supply pipelines, well-equipped bus stands, and organized tree plantations. Notably, the contractors will be bound by a 10-year accountability clause to ensure infrastructure maintenance.
The Minister further informed that Rs 225 crore has been set aside under the Punjab Municipal Development Fund to enhance urban amenities. Additionally, 347 e-buses will be procured, with funds allocated for upgrading civil bus depots in Jalandhar, Amritsar, Ludhiana, and Patiala in the 2025-26 financial year. Plans are also in place to establish technology expansion centers in major industrial hubs.
Highlighting the budget’s inclusive approach, Mr. Bhagat stated that significant provisions have been made for anti-drug measures, healthcare, education, sports, infrastructure, agriculture and rural-urban development. He added that special attention has been given to the welfare of Scheduled Castes and Backward Classes. Emphasizing that no new taxes have been imposed, he asserted that the budget would drive Punjab’s holistic development and benefit every section of society.
