CM congratulates Cheema for presenting people’s budget -

– Describes it as a roadmap for New Punjab

– Announces to fulfil all the guarantees soon

Chandigarh, 27 June 2022 : Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann today hailed the Tax free budget of the state government for the year 2022-23 presented by the Finance Minister Harpal Cheema in Vidhan Sabha and described it as a roadmap for New Punjab.

“I congratulate Finance Minister Harpal Cheema for presenting the historic budget made in consultation with the common man” said the Chief Minister.

Terming the Budget as a balanced, development oriented and reflective of pro-people policies of the state government, the Chief Minister, in a statement issued today, said that this people’s budget has been made to bring revolution in sectors of education, health, agriculture and commerce. He said that the government will soon fulfil all the guarantees promised with the people. Bhagwant Mann said that drastic reforms will be visible soon in the fiscal sector.

The Chief Minister said that budget aims at serving the weakest of the weak and poorest of the poor sections of society in the right earnest. He said that the budget was the outcome of the pragmatic approach of the state government to achieve the objective of overall development and progress of the state and prosperity of its people in a holistic manner. Bhagwant Mann further said that the budget will certainly boost the tempo of all-round development of the state be it in the sector of Agriculture, Industry, Infra structure, Power, Education, Health besides empowering the women and weaker sections of the society.

The Chief Minister said that budget for technical education has been enhanced by 48% to impart technical education to youth for opening new vistas of self employment for them and Rs 9449 crore has been kept for strengthening law and order of state. Likewise he said that enhancing budget of Medical Education and Research by 57%, that of Youth and youth services department by 52%, health department by 24%, employment generation by 32%, Industry and commerce by 48% will give impetus to growth and progress of state. Bhagwant Mann said that budget for construction of 16 Medical colleges, transformation of government schools into schools of eminence, Shaheed Bhagat Singh Haryawal Lehar, construction of 45 ultra modren bus stands will go a long way in development of state.

The Chief Minister envisioned the current budget as a milestone which will go a long way in setting new parameters of growth and development to take the state to the new zenith thereby cherishing aspirations of people of Punjab to realize the goal of New Punjab in near future. Bhagwant Mann expressed hope that the new budget will also bring in far more financial discipline with economic prudence in narrowing down the fiscal deficit with a focus on the enhancement of revenue through resource mobilization. Highly appreciating the budget proposals for 2022-23, he said that special allocation of funds to combat the problem of drug abuse besides making budgetary provisions for health, education, eradication of unemployment amongst youth and path breaking steps to be taken to keep the fiscal stress in check had been incorporated in the budget, which speak volumes of state government’s commitment to take on these issues on war footing.

The Chief Minister said that with the new budget our state will now reach the zenith of glory in terms of development and prosperity. He envisioned the current budget as a roadmap for the revival of industrial sector and imparting fresh impetus to the stagnated agrarian economy of the state.