CHANDIGARH, 11th March 2026: Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Wednesday said the opposition abandoned the Budget debate. They could not defend their stance on opposing giving ₹1,000 to women. He asserted that parties which kept people poor for decades are now uncomfortable. They are uneasy with the empowerment of ordinary families under the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government.

Bhagwant Mann described the Punjab Government’s fifth annual budget as the “Budget of the martyrs’ dreams.” He said the budget aims to fulfill the aspirations of freedom fighters like Bhagat Singh and Udham Singh. CM also reaffirmed that the Punjab Government has fulfilled all its election guarantees within four years and has now started 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. He is confident it will happen in 2027. This is why it chose to run away from the debate. They preferred to avoid facing the truth before the people.

The debate on the Budget for the financial year 2026–27 was concluded. It was presented by Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann said, “This is the first time in Punjab’s history. 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.”

Budget : Chief Minister congratulated Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema

The Chief Minister congratulated Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema for presenting a people-friendly budget. He 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. It also provides free ration to 40 lakh families under the ‘Meri Rasoi’ scheme. Furthermore, it offers cashless medical treatment up to ₹10 lakh,” noted CM Bhagwant Singh Mann.

He added that earlier budgets focused only on paving streets and drains. In contrast, the present government is focusing on providing world-class education to children. It is also offering quality healthcare services and building medical colleges.

Bhagwant Singh Mann said the state is establishing seven medical colleges. This initiative aims to provide quality healthcare facilities. It also helps youth fulfil their dream of becoming doctors while staying in Punjab. He announced that the colleges will be built in Hoshiarpur, Kapurthala, Sangrur, Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar, Lehragaga, Malerkotla, and Ludhiana.

This development will add 600 MBBS seats. He further noted that 881 Aam Aadmi Clinics have recorded five crore OPD visits. This reflects people’s trust in the healthcare services.

The Meri Rasoi scheme will ensure nutritious food for 40 lakh families

The Chief Minister addressed the criticism of the Mukh Mantri Mawan Dhian Satkar Yojna by opposition leaders. He 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. He 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 have new opportunities. They are now clearing examinations such as JEE. They are also clearing 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.

the creation of 10,000 posts in the Punjab Police will provide opportunities for youth

The Chief Minister emphasized employment generation. He said that the creation of 10,000 posts in the Punjab Police will provide opportunities for youth. This initiative will 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 announced the completion of the Sardar Bahadur Amin Chand Armed Forces Preparatory Institute in Hoshiarpur. The institute will start admissions this year to help youth 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. “The Central Ground Water Board presented data in the Rajya Sabha. It shows groundwater levels have increased in 57% of observation wells in Punjab. The rise mostly ranges between 0 to 4 meters,” stated CM Bhagwant Singh Mann.

Bhagwant Mann further said that the government is establishing Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur World-Class University at Sri Anandpur Sahib to commemorate the 350th martyrdom anniversary of Guru Tegh Bahadur and to pay tribute to the great Guru.

He also announced that the government will celebrate the 650th birth anniversary of Guru Ravidas on a grand scale, and the budget has allocated ₹100 crore for this purpose.

Punjab Government successfully fulfilled the promise

The Chief Minister criticised the opposition for constantly opposing welfare initiatives. He said that opposition parties had earlier claimed that free electricity could not be provided. However, 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.

Shiromani Akali Dal responsible for damaging Punjab’s generations.

The Chief Minister held the Shiromani Akali Dal responsible for damaging Punjab’s generations. He said that the party pushed youth into the quagmire of drugs. They also forced them onto the path of gangsterism, which ruined entire generations.CM Bhagwant Mann said that Zomato was formed much later and that drugs were transported in government vehicles during the Akali government.

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. Bhagwant Singh Mann affirmed that the Punjab Government remains fully committed to the well-being of the state and the prosperity of its people. He said the government will leave no stone unturned to achieve this goal. It will continue to safeguard the interests of the people of Punjab. The government will take every possible step for their welfare.