Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann confirmed on Thursday that 370 individuals from the state are currently stranded in the Gulf as conflict in the Middle East continues to escalate. Speaking on the urgency of the situation, Mann said, “We are in touch with the Union government and trying to facilitate their safe repatriation.” For handling the crisis, the state has assigned two senior officials for the purpose of rescue and also opened a helpline for the families of the affected persons.
The Chief Minister emphasised that the Punjab government is fully committed to ensuring every citizen stuck in the strife-torn region returns home without hassle. He noted that the identification of those stranded was a priority, and formal requests for intervention have already been lodged with central authorities.
Shifting focus to domestic matters ahead of the Punjab Assembly’s budget session — scheduled to begin on 6 March — Mann promised a "pro-people" financial plan. With the budget set for presentation on 8 March, he claimed the upcoming proposals would bolster economic growth and expand welfare schemes. Addressing a ‘Lok Milni’ event, he defended his government's fiscal record over the past four years, citing the provision of free electricity to 90 per cent of households and the recruitment of over 63,000 government employees through a merit-based system as evidence of responsible spending.
These claims were made in the wake of harsh criticism from the opposition parties, who are worried about the rising debt of Punjab. However, Mann dismissed the claims, especially targeting the Shiromani Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal. He suggested that the Akali Dal leadership was out of touch with the modern Punjab, mocking Badal for playing cards in the villages rather than focusing on the employment needs of the youth.
The Chief Minister also took the opportunity to launch a stinging attack on the central government, accusing the BJP of using "polarisation" to divide the electorate. He pointedly criticised the Union Home Minister’s recent remarks on religious conversion in Punjab, labelling them a tactical move to incite communal tension.
Mann also claimed that the Centre is intentionally "stalling" essential funds, such as the Rural Development Fund, as a form of political reprisal. He explained that, despite Punjab’s historic contributions to India’s independence and its reputation as the breadbasket of the country, it is being unfairly penalised for this. The main hindrance to the development of the state and the improvement of health services, such as the 881 ‘Aam Aadmi Clinics’ already in operation, is the legitimate share of funds being unfairly withheld, claimed Mann.
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