Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Friday handed appointment letters to 2,105 recruits in the state power utilities and said the government has provided 58,962 merit-based jobs to youth since taking office, urging the new appointees to “perform your duty honestly.”
At a ceremony at Government Medical College, the Chief Minister said unemployment fuels social problems, adding that creating jobs remains a top priority. Of the latest intake, 2,023 linemen, 48 internal auditors and 35 revenue accountants have joined Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) and Punjab State Transmission Corporation Limited (PSTCL). He said 8,984 appointments have been made in the two corporations since April 2022.
Asserting that recruitment has been “recommendation‑free and bribe‑free,” Mann said no appointment has been challenged in court. He contrasted the process with past practices, claiming earlier governments encouraged “cash and favour” for posts, and said political opponents are now resorting to “baseless statements” because transparent hiring has restored youth confidence.
Invoking B.R. Ambedkar’s life as an example of grit and scholarship, Mann urged the recruits to serve with “missionary zeal” and to use their positions to assist the poor and underprivileged. “The government is the runway; your talent is the aircraft,” he said, promising continued support to help young people realise their aspirations.
Linking jobs to public order, Mann said the administration is expanding employment to keep youth away from drugs and other social evils, and appealed to them to join the state’s fight against narcotics. On the power sector, he said the government has cleared ₹2,000 crore of Powercom’s liabilities and since July 2022, around 90% of households have received 600 units of free electricity, easing family budgets.
The Chief Minister said the Pachhwara coal mine had been restarted to stabilise supplies, and that the state purchased the GVK Goindwal Sahib thermal plant for ₹1,080 crore, renaming it after Guru Amar Das. He framed the buyout as a break from “earlier regimes” that, he alleged, sold public assets “for pennies,” adding that his government is spending “every penny” on welfare and development.
On state finances, Mann blamed previous dispensations for leaving a debt of ₹2.75 lakh crore and said borrowed funds did not translate into public gains. He argued that traditional parties resent being out of power because “a man from a common family” now runs the state, and alleged they remain disconnected from ground realities.
Criticising the Union government, Mann asked the Centre to “refrain from interfering” in Punjab’s affairs, calling the dissolution of Panjab University’s Senate and Syndicate a slight to Punjabi identity and alumni legacy. He also opposed any pressure to release additional water from Bhakra to other states, saying Punjab “will not bow” on issues of its rights.
Several new recruits expressed gratitude to the Chief Minister during the event. Punjab State Power Corporation chairman‑cum‑managing director Basant Garg and other dignitaries were present.
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