CM gives big bonanza to 942 contractual employees of Forest Department, hands over regular appointment letters to them

Chandigarh, July 30, 2025: In a major relief to the 942 contractual employees of the Forest department, the Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Wednesday gave a big bonanza to them by handing over the regular appointment letters to these employees after more than decade long service.

Addressing the gathering while giving letters of regular appointment to these employees and candidates of Housing & Urban Development Department, the Chief Minister it gives him immense pride and satisfaction to announce that eliminating the word contractual prefixed before the posts of these employees the state government has regularized their services by overcoming all the legal and administrative hiccups. He said that from today onwards the word contractual will be forever eliminated from before the name of these employees who have given their precious years to the government while serving. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the motive was to ensure the secure future employees as the state government had made concerted efforts due to which this historic day is being witnessed today.

The Chief Minister said that this is not a favor on anyone but it is his bounden duty to serve the state and the masses for which he is leaving no stone unturned. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that he has been blessed that people of the state have reposed so much trust in him adding that he will make every effort to uphold this faith.  He said that his government is making every effort to ensure the holistic development of the state and prosperity of its people.

The Chief Minister said the successive state governments had befooled the people by giving incentives in the last year but his government has worked from day one to ameliorate the hardships faced by people. He said that these people had looted the people during their regimes and never bothered about their well being. However, Bhagwant Singh Mann said that his government is working from day one to ensure the welfare of the people of state.

The Chief Minister quipped that those who claim to be inheritors (waaris) of Punjab can’t even write a single word of Punjabi language as these convent educated leaders are completely disconnected with the state and its people. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that these leaders who had taken education from Sanawar and Doon school are poor in speaking Punjabi due to which they can’t connect with masses. He said that these leaders had ignored education in the state due to which people had ousted them and paved the way for new people to come and join politics.

The Chief Minister said that sectors like health, education, power, water and infrastructure are the top five priorities of his government and no stone is being left unturned for it. He said that this is in consonance with the constitution of India which talks about the well being of all adding priorities were different during the previous regimes.  Bhagwant Singh Mann said that unfortunately instead of worrying about welfare all these leaders worried about their families and plundered the state exchequer.

In a scathing attack on opposition, the Chief Minister said that these people had mercilessly plundered the money of Punjabis just for their families without bothering about the common man. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that but now for the first time policies are being framed for the welfare of the state and prosperity of its people adding that this is a history in itself. He said that traditional political parties are envious of him because they are not able to digest that the son of a common man is governing the state effectively.

The Chief Minister said that the people of the state have lost their faith in the traditional political parties because of their anti-people and anti-Punjab stance. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the wise and brave people of the state had ousted these parties during the 2022 assembly polls and gave a thumping majority to the AAP. He said that these people never bothered about the welfare of the people and were largely concerned about their own well being.

Talking about Yudh Nasheyan Virudh, the Chief Minister said that this campaign started by the state government is producing desired results. He said that those who want to see the big fish involved in this heinous trade can visit the Nabha Jail to have their glance. Bhagwant Singh Mann reiterated that anyone involved in this crime against humanity will not be spared and exemplary action will be taken against them as per rule of law.

The Chief Minister said that the drug mafia was patronized by the earlier governments but his government has launched a crusade against drugs. Bhagwant Singh Mann said meticulous planning has been done to wipe out the menace of drugs from the state and now war against drugs has begun in a full-fledged manner. He said that apart from snapping the supply lines of drugs the state government has put the big fishes involved in this crime behind the bars adding that now the property of the drug peddlers is being seized and destroyed adding that this noble cause cannot be accomplished without active public support.

The Chief Minister questioned Captain Amarinder Singh for showing concern over the human rights of the kingpin of the entire drug trade currently lodged in Nabha jail, asking why such concern was never shown for the people of Punjab. He implied that this has exposed the real face of these leaders who have spread and patronised drug trade across the state. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that Captain’s nephew started the drug trade in the Akali regime when he was Minister and it bloomed with the former Congress leader, now in BJP, becoming the Chief Minister.

The Chief Minister said that at the time he assumed office, only 21% of canal water was being used for irrigation but today that number has risen to 63%. He said that due to the concerted efforts of the Punjab government for the first time the water of canals and rivers have reached the villages in the tail end of the state. Bhagwant Singh Mann also mentioned that his government successfully safeguarded Punjab’s water resources from being diverted to other states.

Highlighting another major welfare initiative, the Chief Minister spoke about the Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojna — the first-of-its-kind scheme in the country that provides cashless medical treatment up to ₹10 lakh for every resident family in Punjab. He proudly stated that Punjab is the first Indian state to offer such comprehensive healthcare coverage, which will significantly ease the financial burden on the public while ensuring quality health services. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that this historic move is aimed at providing universal health care to all the families of the state.

The Chief Minister said that the Punjab is a blessed land with fertile soil, flora and fauna adding that it has beautiful sites like Chamrod Pattan in Pathankot, which is known as Mini Goa. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the state is blessed with a bounty of natural resources which can attract the tourists from across the globe adding that this is the need of hour for promotion of economic activity in the region thereby transforming the lives of people. He bemoaned that due to negligence of the successive state governments Punjab has been hitherto ignored in the pace of development especially in the tourism sector.

The Chief Minister said that the untapped potential of tourism in this area will be harnessed for attracting the tourists to this land with immense natural beauty. He said the geographically Punjab is blessed land adding that the state government intends to take the tourism sector to a new zenith. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that eco-tourism is being promoted in the state as Punjab is blessed with a bounty of natural resources adding that several sites are being developed to attract the tourists.

The Chief Minister said that now the trend of reverse migration is being witnessed in the state with youth of the state now becoming job providers instead of job seekers. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the sole agenda of his government from day one has been to empower the youth by giving government jobs to them. He said that this will make them an equal partner in the socio-economic growth of the country and the state.