WITH 28362 JOBS IN FIRST YEAR, PUNJAB GOVERNMENT SETS A NEW BENCHMARK: CM MANN.

Chandigarh, April 1:

Handing over appointment letters to 1320 Assistant Lineman of PSPCL, the Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann today said that the state government has set a new benchmark by giving government jobs to 28362 youth in the first year of its tenure.

Addressing the gathering during a function here at Tagore Bhawan, the Chief Minister said that this job brings a lot of responsibility for the selected candidates as they have to serve the society with missionary zeal. He said that they have been selected completely on the basis of merit and have done a lot of hard work to get this post. Bhagwant Mann welcomed the youth to the family of Punjab government and expressed hope that they will discharge their duty with honesty and sincerity.

The Chief Minister said that there is no short cut for success and only hard work can fulfill all the dreams of a common man. However, he said that this is not the final destination as a lot of more is yet to come in their lives. Bhagwant Mann said that the newly selected candidates should continue their hard work and success will come to them in one form or another.

The Chief Minister also asked the candidates to avoid the company of people with negative thoughts as they hamper the progress of the state. He said that people had brought a paradigm shift in the politics of the state by forming the AAP government in the state. Bhagwant Mann said that those who were living in palatial houses during their heydays of power were ousted from the political scene of the state.

The Chief Minister said that as Power is the catalyst of growth in any state so PSPCL is the backbone of Punjab. He said that being an agrarian state meeting the power supply is a big challenge for any government. Bhagwant Mann said that it is a matter of great pride and satisfaction that due to strenuous efforts of the government, the days of long cuts have ended in the state as Punjab is heading towards becoming power surplus.

The Chief Minister said that due to the efforts of his government the power generation in the state has been enhanced by 83%. Bhagwant Mann said that the supply of coal for power generation from Pachwara coal mine has resumed after a long time. He said that till now 5 lakh Metric ton coal has been fetched from this coal mine and has played a key role in augmenting power supply.

The Chief Minister said that due to concerted efforts of his government, the Union government has agreed to waive off the mandatory RSR (Rail-Sea-Rail) condition for coal supply from Mahanadi Coalfields Limited (MCL) to Talwandi Sabo Power Limited (TSPL). Bhagwant Mann said that he had raised this issue of arbitrary decision with the Power Minister during a meeting after which a decision had been taken in this regard. He said that the state government is firmly committed to secure the interests of the state.

The Chief Minister said that the state government is committed to strengthen the PSPCL. Bhagwant Mann said that he has already asked all the departments to submit their pending bills to the PSPCL so that its financial situation is further strengthened. He said that apart from traditional methods of generating power various other modes of producing power are also being encouraged in the state.

The Chief Minister further said that the state government is promoting crop diversification in a big way to save the water and electricity in Punjab. He envisioned that this will help in lessening the pressure for power on the PSPCL adding that the spare electricity can be used for growth of other sectors too. Bhagwant Mann said that the state government is committed to safeguard the interests of the state and its farmers by ensuring proper marketing of the alternative crops.

The Chief Minister said that every step of his government is aimed at improving the condition of the common man. He said that 600 units of free power, employment, transformation of the schools and hospitals and other decisions are acting as game-changers in the state. Bhagwant Mann vowed that every decision of his government will ensure the well being of the common man and the state.

The Chief Minister said that the Education, Health and Employment sectors are three core areas of his government. He said that the current year will witness major changes in these three areas as the state government is zealously working on it. Bhagwant Mann said that the major focus of the state government is to check the brain drain from the state by upscaling infrastructure and manpower in these sectors.

Earlier, Cabinet Minister Harbhajan Singh ETO welcomed the Chief Minister and other dignitaries.