Punjab Power and Public Works Minister Harbhajan Singh ETO unfurled the National Flag at the 79th Independence Day celebrations held at the Raja Bhalinder Singh Sports Complex, Polo Ground, Patiala. Extending warm greetings to the people, he paid glowing tributes to the freedom fighters, martyrs and heroes of various movements who sacrificed their lives for the nation. On this occasion, he also felicitated the descendants of freedom fighters, including Mohkam Singh Chauhan.
In his address, Minister Harbhajan Singh ETO said that under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, Punjab is progressing rapidly towards becoming a prosperous and progressive state. He stressed that the government is committed to realizing the vision of the martyrs while ensuring Patiala’s overall development, which had long been overlooked by past regimes. Highlighting government initiatives, he mentioned a ₹110 crore project under the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme to upgrade the district’s power supply, jobs provided to over 55,000 youth, enhancement of ex-gratia for martyrs’ families from ₹50 lakh to ₹1 crore, and extension of benefits to Agniveers. He also noted the rollout of 600 units of free household electricity, assured 8-hour supply for farmers, and ₹10 lakh health insurance coverage for citizens.
On infrastructure,Minister Harbhajan said that 2,173 km of new roads worth ₹2,130 crore are under construction, along with 34 bridges worth ₹185 crore, while 20 toll plazas have been closed to benefit the public. He further highlighted cost savings of ₹1,200 crore in the power sector through the state’s purchase of the GVK-owned Goindwal Power Plant and coal extraction from Pachhwara mines.<blockquote class=”twitter-tweet”><p lang=”pa” dir=”ltr”>ਪੰਜਾਬ ਦੇ ਬਿਜਲੀ ਤੇ ਲੋਕ ਨਿਰਮਾਣ ਮੰਤਰੀ ਹਰਭਜਨ ਸਿੰਘ ਈ.ਟੀ.ਓ. ਨੇ ਕਿਹਾ ਹੈ ਕਿ ਪੰਜਾਬ ਸਰਕਾਰ ਦੇ ਯਤਨਾਂ ਸਦਕਾ ਪੰਜਾਬ ਮੁੜ ਤੋਂ 'ਰੰਗਲਾ ਪੰਜਾਬ, ਹੱਸਦਾ-ਖੇਡਦਾ ਤੇ ਖੁਸ਼ਹਾਲ' ਸੂਬਾ ਬਣਨ ਦੀ ਰਾਹ 'ਤੇ ਤੇਜੀ ਨਾਲ ਅੱਗੇ ਵੱਧ ਰਿਹਾ ਹੈ। ਉਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਨੇ ਦੱਸਿਆ ਕਿ ਸੂਬੇ 'ਚ ਵਿਆਪਕ ਬਿਜਲੀ ਸੁਧਾਰ ਕੀਤੇ ਜਾ ਰਹੇ ਹਨ ਅਤੇ ਇਕੱਲੇ ਪਟਿਆਲਾ ਜ਼ਿਲ੍ਹੇ… <a href=”https://t.co/4t4lFE0MmE”>pic.twitter.com/4t4lFE0MmE</a></p>— Government of Punjab (@PbGovtIndia) <a href=”https://twitter.com/PbGovtIndia/status/1956591899629789618?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>August 16, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src=”https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js” charset=”utf-8″></script>
Minister Harbhajan Singh ETO also announced that the government will commemorate the 350th martyrdom of Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji with special events from November 19 to 25. A budget has been earmarked for developing related religious sites, with ₹80 crore allocated for 35 projects in Patiala alone. He underlined the government’s crackdown on drugs, which has led to the arrest of 25,000 smugglers, demolition of drug dens, and deployment of the ‘Baz Akh’ anti-drone system to curb cross-border smuggling. In agriculture, he said reforms and crop diversification efforts have reduced stubble burning by 70% this year compared to 2023, while canal water has been restored to tail-end fields through the cleaning of over 18,000 khalas.
Earlier, the Minister took the salute from contingents of the ITBP, District Police, NCC and others under Parade Commander DSP Fateh Singh Brar. Cultural performances by schoolchildren, including Giddha and Bhangra, and a rendition of the national anthem in sign language by Vani School students marked the celebrations. On behalf of the Red Cross, tricycles and sewing machines were distributed among the needy, while achievers from various fields were also honoured.