The North News
Amritsar, November 7
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Friday handed over appointment letters to 2,105 newly recruited employees of the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL), continuing his government’s campaign to expand job opportunities for the youth. The ceremony, held at the Government Medical College auditorium in Amritsar, brought the total number of government jobs provided so far under his tenure to 58,962.
The recruits include 2,023 linemen, 48 internal auditors, and 35 revenue accountants appointed in PSPCL and PSTCL. Mann said that since April 2022, 8,984 appointments have been made in these two corporations. He asserted that all appointments were made purely on merit, ending the long-standing practice of “cash and favour” seen under previous governments.
“Not a single appointment has been challenged in court,” the Chief Minister said, claiming that his administration’s transparent hiring process has “deeply unsettled” the opposition.
Calling unemployment the “root cause of many social evils,” Mann said his government was determined to eradicate joblessness and empower the youth to contribute meaningfully to the state’s development.
Drawing inspiration from Dr B. R. Ambedkar, Mann urged young recruits to serve society with integrity and compassion. “Every youth should learn from Babasaheb’s life — how perseverance and education can overcome adversity,” he said.
The Chief Minister compared his government to a runway helping airplanes take off, saying it was his administration’s mission to help young people realise their dreams. He called on the youth to participate actively in Punjab’s fight against drug abuse, noting that employment and awareness were key to tackling social problems.
Highlighting reforms in the power sector, Mann said the PSPCL had inherited massive debts but his government had cleared ₹2,000 crore and restarted the Pachhwara coal mine, making Punjab a surplus coal-producing state.
He added that since July 2022, nearly 90% of Punjab’s households had been receiving 600 units of free electricity, easing financial stress on families. He also announced that the government had purchased the GVK thermal plant in Goindwal Sahib for ₹1,080 crore and renamed it after the third Sikh Guru, Sri Guru Amar Das Ji—a first in the state’s history where the government bought private property rather than selling public assets.
Mann blamed past governments for Punjab’s debt burden of ₹2.75 lakh crore, saying none of that money had contributed to development. “Every rupee now is being spent on the welfare of Punjabis,” he said.
He also accused the BJP-led central government of interfering in Punjab’s affairs, criticising the dissolution of Panjab University’s Senate and Syndicate, calling it an “attack on Punjab’s heritage.” Mann reaffirmed his government’s opposition to any move that undermines the state’s rights over its institutions and natural resources, including water from the Bhakra Dam.
“The Centre must stop bullying Punjab. We know how to fight for our rights and claim them,” he declared.
Several newly appointed employees expressed gratitude to the Chief Minister during the event, which was also attended by PSPCL Chairman-cum-Managing Director Basant Garg and other senior officials.
