Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Monday said that due to the strenuous efforts of the state government all the Tehsils and Sub-Tehsils complex across Punjab are heading towards becoming corruption free.
Addressing the gathering after dedicating the newly constructed Tehsil complex here today, the Chief Minister said that when the state government had assumed charge Revenue officers used to think that they have the divine right to loot people through corruption. He said that they used to harass the general public even for the petty works and threatened to disrupt the work if any action was taken against them.
However, Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the state government had come into power by giving corruption free administration due to which the state government launched a major crackdown against it.
The Chief Minister said that the result is that all the Tehsils and Sub-Tehsils complexes across Punjab are heading towards becoming corruption free. He said that the Revenue officers used to harass the common man on pretext of mass leaves or strikes but the state government has not bowed before these corrupt officers. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the AAP government has zero tolerance against corruption and the blackmailing of these officers was not tolerated and severe action has been taken against these corrupt and haughty officers.
The Chief Minister said that the protests of these officers were dealt with a heavy hand as they wanted license for corruption, which cannot be allowed at any cost. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that now these corrupt Tehsildars have been transferred from one post to another to break the entire chain of corruption. He, while equating corruption with fatal disease of cancer, said that stern action is the only form of Chemotherapy which can remove this cancer.
The Chief Minister said that to check corruption the state government has introduced Easy registration of land deeds which promotes self-reliance, reduces dependency on private deed writers, and empowers citizens to handle their transactions independently. He highlighted that people no longer need to visit banks for payments, as the online consolidated payment gateway allows for all required fees—including stamp duty and registration fees—to be paid in a single digital transaction. This eliminates the need for demand drafts or cash handling, addressing both convenience and security concerns, added Bhagwant Singh Mann.
The Chief Minister further said that Aam Aadmi Party is a result of the anti-corruption campaign due to which they had made concerted efforts to make Punjab free from corruption. He said that from day one after assuming charge of his office they had adopted a zero tolerance policy against corruption. Seeking fulsome cooperation and wholehearted support of Punjabis for this noble cause, Bhagwant Singh Mann said that it is imperative to make this drive a huge success in coming times too.
Making a scathing attack on the royal family of Patiala, the Chief Minister said that the region around Patiala lagged behind in the process of development due to vested interests and greed of the successive rulers. He said that those in power decorated their own palaces at the cost of dilapidation of the city adding that it is ironic that the ‘Maharajas’ in power were more concerned about their own development rather than that of the city. Bhagwant Mann bemoaned that the rulers of Punjab, who hailed from Patiala remained callous about the development of the city.
The Chief Minister 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. He 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.
The Chief Minister said that the state has been witnessing spectacular development as the people of the state have elected an honest government which is delivering the desired results to the people. He said that earlier the choice of lesser evil was there and the people had to elect corrupt and opportunist leaders which were their only option. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the state has heralded a new era of the smooth and hassle free delivery of citizen centric services for the common man.
The Chief Minister reiterated that Akali leaders have reduced the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC) to a mere “Shiromani Golak Prabandhak Committee” out of their greed for money. He alleged that the Badals misused their political power to interfere in religious affairs, including manipulating the appointment of Jathedars of Sri Akal Takht Sahib to suit their personal interests. He claimed that the Akalis, driven by financial motives, have degraded the sanctity of the SGPC and misused both it and Sri Akal Takht Sahib for narrow political gains.
The Chief Minister also exhorted the women to come forward and participate in politics for becoming an active partner in the decision making policy mechanism and to bring the necessary and much needed change in society. He said that these days girls have outnumbered boys in every other field but Politics is still an exception to it adding that the field of politics had been hitherto considered as fiefdom of the men but now the time has come when the women must excel in this field too. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that women’s participation in this field is imperative to carve out an egalitarian society and in the larger interest of society and state.
The Chief Minister said that it is a moment of immense pride and satisfaction that more than 54000 jobs have been provided to the youth of the state. He said that all the jobs have been given completely on the basis of merit, without any corruption or nepotism. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that this is making the youth an active partner in socio economic development of Punjab.
Earlier, the Cabinet Minister Hardeep Singh Mundian welcomed the Chief Minister and other dignitaries.
