MANSA : Bhagwant Singh Mann on Tuesday alleged that decades of rule by Akali Dal and Congress deliberately kept children in Punjab uneducated while political families flourished, adding that these parties focused only on securing power for their relatives. Addressing a gathering in Sardulgarh after laying the foundation stone of a Government ITI that will train 240 students annually, he said the BJP was relying on leaders from other parties to win elections, but Punjab had chosen a new path of development. He asserted that his government was honestly spending every penny of public funds on welfare and progress.

The Chief Minister highlighted initiatives taken by his government in education, healthcare, employment and infrastructure, claiming that schools have been transformed into education hubs, Schools of Eminence have been established and thousands of government jobs provided without corruption. He also cited free power to most households, expansion of canal irrigation, opening of Aam Aadmi Clinics and launch of welfare schemes, including free food kits for lakhs of families, as key achievements of the government.

Mann said the state was moving forward under a new development model inspired by Arvind Kejriwal, while traditional parties had lost public trust due to their anti-people policies. Senior AAP leader Manish Sisodia and other leaders present at the event said the new ITI and development projects in the region would boost employment opportunities and economic growth.
