Chandigarh: Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s government has launched a campaign against corruption that is not only changing the face of the state but also setting a new example for the entire country. Since coming to power, the Mann government has taken several big and revolutionary steps to eliminate corruption from its roots, which have brought positive changes in the lives of common people. Statistics also confirm that Punjab is moving forward rapidly in this new era of transparency and accountability. Today, the people of Punjab are saying with open hearts that “this is the government we needed – one that works for us, not one that loots us.”
We are mentioning the 10 most revolutionary steps taken by the Punjab government. The first and most important step is the launch of the Anti-Corruption Helpline number 9501200200, which was launched on March 23, 2022, on Shaheed Bhagat Singh’s martyrdom day. The Chief Minister called it his ‘personal WhatsApp number’ and said that if any officer asks for a bribe, don’t refuse, but make a video or audio recording and send it to this number. This bold initiative was inspired by the Delhi model, and today this helpline has become the people’s biggest weapon against corruption in Punjab. Thousands of complaints have been registered through this helpline and action has been taken against dozens of corrupt officials.
The second major step is the launch of the ‘Easy Registry’ portal, which has brought about a complete transformation in the property registration process. Launched in November 2024, under this scheme, citizens can now register their property at any sub-registrar office in their district, and the entire process is completed within 48 hours. Chief Minister Mann said that for decades, property registration was considered a complex and time-consuming process, which was dominated by bribery. Now, for just 500 rupees, a sale deed can be prepared online and real-time updates are received via WhatsApp. This is the first initiative of its kind in India that is bringing transparency to property registration.
The third important step is the complete digitization of Jamabandi and land records. The Punjab government has made property records available online through the [jamabandi.punjab.gov.in](http://jamabandi.punjab.gov.in) portal. Citizens can now obtain their documents from home for a nominal fee of just 20 rupees. Earlier, there was a network of middlemen and corrupt officials in the Revenue Department, where bribes had to be paid for every small and big task. Now with everything online, the scope for bribery has been eliminated. Special helplines 8184900002 for the Revenue Department and 9464100168 for NRIs have also been issued.
The fourth major step is the implementation of ‘Aap Di Sarkar, Aap De Dwar’ and ‘Bhagwant Mann Sarkar Tuhade Dwar’ schemes. Launched in February 2024, under this scheme, more than 11,600 camps have been organized across Punjab, where 44 important government services such as residential certificates, caste certificates, income certificates, birth-death certificates, pensions, labor registration, etc., have been made available in every village and neighborhood. The Chief Minister said, “Now people won’t have to run around government offices. Government officials will go to people’s doorsteps to provide services.” Four camps are organized daily in every tehsil, where important officials like SDM, Tehsildar, DSSO, DFSO, SHO are present.
The fifth step is the establishment of the Chief Minister’s Window (CM Window), which was launched in all districts in June 2024. This is an unprecedented initiative that ensures direct dialogue between citizens and the government. The Chief Minister has directly held Deputy Commissioners (DCs) and SSPs accountable and made it clear that they will be directly responsible for any incident of corruption or negligence in their jurisdiction. The Chief Minister warned, “We must keep a close watch on administrative processes and take immediate action on any misconduct.” This approach reflects the Mann government’s strictness against corruption.
The sixth important step is strengthening the Punjab Vigilance Bureau and granting it autonomy. The Vigilance Bureau has taken action in dozens of major corruption cases in 2024. In September 2024, an ASI was caught red-handed taking bribes, in August 2024 a cooperative inspector was arrested for taking a bribe of 15,000 rupees, a PSPCL junior engineer was caught taking a bribe of 11,500 rupees via Google Pay, a police inspector was arrested for taking a bribe of 6 lakh rupees, and in the Jalandhar Improvement Trust land acquisition scam involving 5.49 crore rupees, a retired PCS officer was arrested. These actions are creating fear among corrupt officials.
The seventh major step is the Doorstep Delivery Service (DSD), which was launched in December 2023 under the name ‘Bhagwant Mann Sarkar Tuhade Dwar’. Under this scheme, citizens can call 1076 to make an appointment at their convenience and receive 43 important government services at home. This scheme is an important step toward making Government to Citizen (G2C) services easier. The Chief Minister said, “We want people not to have to wait for hours in government offices. Now the government will reach their homes.” Millions of people have benefited from this scheme.
The eighth step is the strict compliance with the Punjab Anti-Red Tape Act 2021 and Punjab Anti-Red Tape Rules 2022. Under these rules, provisions have been made to eliminate unnecessary red tape and delays in government departments. Now a fixed time limit has been set for all services, and if any officer delays work without valid reason, disciplinary action is taken against them. This law is proving effective in preventing unnecessary delays and corruption.
The ninth important step is the strict compliance with the e-procurement and e-tendering system. The Punjab government has made online tendering mandatory in all departments, which has brought transparency to the tender process. Earlier, large-scale corruption occurred in manual tendering, there was collusion between contractors and officials, and work was given at higher rates. Now with the online process, accountability is fixed at every stage and eligible contractors from any corner of the country can bid.
The tenth and most effective step is strict action against officers who collude with police and drug traffickers. The Mann government has made it clear that police personnel who take bribes and conspire with the drug mafia will not be spared. The effect of this strictness is that there is an atmosphere of fear among corrupt officials and they now hesitate to openly demand bribes.
The impact of these ten major steps is also clearly visible in Punjab’s revenue. In August 2024, the Punjab government received revenue of 440.92 crore rupees from land and property registration, which is 26 percent more than August 2023’s 349.26 crore rupees. This increase is proof that reducing corruption has not only provided relief to the public but has also increased the government treasury. Earlier, middlemen and corrupt officials would pocket the money; now that money is going into the government treasury.
The people of Punjab are very happy with these initiatives of the Mann government. Balwinder Singh, a farmer from Ludhiana, says, “Earlier we had to bribe the patwari to get jamabandi issued. Now I can get it online from my mobile while sitting at home. This government is truly honest.” Sukhwinder Kaur, a woman social worker from Jalandhar, says, “The Aap Di Sarkar, Aap De Dwar scheme has given great relief to poor women in villages. Now they don’t have to run around tehsils. Officials come to the village themselves and make pensions and other certificates.”
Experts believe that these steps taken by the Mann government will produce far-reaching results. Dr. Amarjeet Singh, professor in the Political Science Department at Punjab University, says, “Making government services transparent and accessible using technology is a revolutionary step. It not only prevents corruption but also increases public trust in the government. The Mann government has proved that if there is political will, corruption can be eliminated.”
These initiatives of the Mann government have become a topic of discussion not only in Punjab but also in other states of the country. Many states have expressed a desire to adopt the Punjab model. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said, “Our dream is that Punjab becomes a corruption-free state. The ten major steps we have taken are in this direction. We promise the public that whoever is involved in corruption will not be spared.” He further said, “We have to make Punjab a real Punjab, not London, Paris or California, where honesty and hard work are valued.”
The Mann government has also made it clear that this campaign is being run in public interest, not with a spirit of political revenge. The Chief Minister said, “I don’t have a red diary like the old governments, only a green diary. We won’t take revenge on anyone, but whoever loots the people and treasury of Punjab will have to account for their sins.” This statement raises great hope among the public that the Mann government is truly serious about fighting corruption.
The Punjab government is now planning to further strengthen the anti-corruption campaign. More government services will soon be brought online and the digital payment system will be further strengthened. According to sources connected with the Chief Minister’s Office, a new mobile app will be launched through which citizens can directly register their complaints and track them in real time. In addition, camera surveillance and digital attendance systems are also being implemented in all departments so that officials can be held accountable.
The anti-corruption campaign launched by the Mann government in Punjab is a historic initiative that will prove significant in making Punjab the country’s most transparent and corruption-free state in the coming times. Through ten major steps, the Mann government has proved that if there is willpower, proper use of technology, and the public is taken along, then an evil like corruption can be eliminated from its roots. The people of Punjab can say with pride today that “this government is for us, at our doorstep, in our service.“
