*₹26.06 Crore Financial Assistance Disbursed to 69,110 Pregnant and Lactating Women: Dr. Baljit Kaur*

*₹6,000 Assistance Provided on Birth of Second Child if Girl*

*Target to Cover 1.14 Lakh Beneficiary Women During FY 2025–26*

Chandigarh, December 29:Under the leadership of Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann, the Punjab Government continues to take people-centric initiatives to ensure the welfare of women and strengthen maternal and child health security. In this direction, the Punjab Government has disbursed financial assistance worth ₹26.06 crore to pregnant women and lactating mothers during the current financial year.

This was stated by the Minister for Social Security, Women and Child Development, Punjab, Dr. Baljit Kaur, while highlighting the government’s commitment towards women-centric welfare policies.

Providing further details, Dr. Baljit Kaur said that under the scheme, financial assistance of ₹5,000 is provided on the birth of the first child, which is released in two instalments—₹3,000 as the first instalment and ₹2,000 as the second instalment.

She added that on the birth of the second child, if the child is a girl, a financial assistance of ₹6,000 is provided in a single instalment. The Minister emphasized that the entire amount is transferred directly into the beneficiaries’ bank accounts through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) to ensure transparency and timely support.

The Cabinet Minister informed that so far, 69,110 pregnant and lactating women have benefitted from the scheme during the current financial year. She further stated that the Punjab Government has set a target to cover 1.14 lakh beneficiary women during the financial year 2025–26 under this scheme.

Dr. Baljit Kaur emphasized that the scheme is not limited to financial assistance alone, but is a significant step towards strengthening maternal health, nutrition, and newborn care. She reiterated that the Punjab Government is committed to ensuring that no mother is deprived of essential healthcare services due to financial constraints, and that every child receives a safe and healthy start to life.

Reaffirming the government’s resolve, she said that the Mann Government remains fully committed to the welfare of women and children, and ensuring that the benefits of government schemes reach every eligible beneficiary remains the top priority.

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*Mann Government ensuring full benefits of farmer-centric schemes reach farmers: Says Mohinder Bhagat*

*Punjab Government committed to welfare of farmers and enhancing their income*

Chandigarh, December 29:Punjab Horticulture Minister Mr. Mohinder Bhagat said on Monday that the Punjab Government, under the leadership of Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann, is ensuring that the full benefits of farmer-centric schemes reach farmers at the grassroots level in a transparent and time-bound manner so that horticulture can be boosted.

Mr. Bhagat said that the state government has adopted a proactive and farmer-first approach to implement welfare schemes effectively across Punjab. He said special emphasis is being laid on awareness, simplification of procedures and timely delivery of benefits so that farmers do not face any difficulty in availing government assistance.

He said that the Horticulture Department has been directed to strengthen field-level coordination and provide continuous guidance to farmers regarding eligibility conditions, application procedures and documentation.

Mr. Bhagat said that the Mann Government is working to strengthen the agricultural economy by promoting horticulture, increasing farmers’ income and reducing dependence on traditional crops. He urged farmers to come forward and take full advantage of the horticulture schemes available for their welfare.

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*PUNJAB'S OPPORTUNITY FIESTA: OVER 59K GOVT JOBS, THOUSANDS IN PRIVATE SECTOR, SKILLING DRIVE GRIFFS UP*

• *Now, no need to look outward for growth; talent is recognised, trained & retained in Punjab, says Aman Arora*

• ⁠*Collaborations with tech giants Microsoft, IBM & NASSCOM equipping youth for global & corporate roles*

Chandigarh, December 29:In a significant move to halt the state's talent exodus, the Punjab Government, led by Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann, has unveiled a year (2025) of substantial achievement in job creation. Punjab Employment Generation, Skill Development and Training Minister Mr. Aman Arora revealed that the department's multi-pronged strategy has yielded over thousands employment opportunities, including over 59,000 permanent government jobs since April 2022, and skill development initiatives to stop the brain drain.

Highlighting the department's concerted efforts to ensure opportunities to state’s youth, Mr Aman Arora informed that 59,702 youth have been given permanent jobs in various government departments since April 2022. The department has actively bridged the gap with the private sector, facilitating jobs for 48,912 candidates through 959 placement camps, while 10,064 youths were set on the path to self-employment via loan camps during 2025.

The Employment Generation Minister further informed that the Punjab Skill Development Mission (PSDM) has trained 19,619 candidates, with placements underway. Punjab has developed own Skill Development scheme “Punjab Hunar Vikas Yojna” and collaborations with tech giants Microsoft, IBM and NASSCOM are equipping youth for global and corporate roles.

Now, Punjab youth has ample opportunities within the state's borders, Mr. Aman Arora asserted, while stating, "Our data is the proof. We are not just promising jobs; we are systematically delivering appointment letters, skill certificates and pushing for entrepreneurship. Punjab's youth no longer need to look outward for growth. We are building a self-reliant Punjab where talent is recognised, trained and retained."

The state's official portal, PGRKAM (https://punjabrozgar.org.in/), has become a game-changer in the job market, registering over 22,41,165 job seekers and 20,669 employers. The platform hosted 1,316 Job Melas, democratising access to opportunities and bridging the gap between talent and employers, he added.

In a standout achievement, Punjab’s defence training institutes have set national benchmarks. The Maharaja Ranjit Singh Armed Forces Preparatory Institute (MRSAFPI) saw an 82.45% NDA success rate, with 34 cadets have joined National Defence Academy (NDA)/equivalent Academies and 17 cadets commissioned as officers in the Defence Forces in 2025.

In a historic gender-parity move, Punjab launched the country’s first state-run NDA Preparatory Wing for girls at the Mai Bhago Armed Forces Preparatory Institute, training 40 young women to become commissioned officers. He further informed that 10 Lady cadets have been selected to join various Officer Training Academies, Seven Lady Cadets have been commissioned as officers. In addition, 74 lady cadets have passed the CDS/AFCAT/NDA written exams this year.

Punjab's C-PYTE centres have trained 8017 youth for armed and paramilitary forces, with 1236 securing placements in the current fiscal. The centres offer a disciplined career path, empowering youth to serve the nation.

Underscoring the CM Mann led government's commitment to empowering Punjab's youth, Mr. Aman Arora stated, "Every job offered, every skill imparted and every entrepreneur created is a brick in the wall that will finally stop the drain of our most precious resource—our children's potential." He emphasised that the government's efforts are creating a robust ecosystem of opportunity, offering youth a viable and aspirational future within Punjab.

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*Punjab shows good performance in solid waste management during 2025: Dr. Ravjot Singh*

*MC Bathinda wins Clean City award in Swachh Survekshan conducted by Central Government; Various ULBs achieve cleanliness rankings in multiple areas*

*Multitude of projects in Ludhiana, Amritsar, Jalandhar and Sultanpur Lodhi as part of Smart Cities Mission under progress*

*1200 old diesel auto rickshaws replaced with new electric autos under Auto-Rickshaw Revival Scheme in Amritsar city*

*Doorstep delivery of services successfully started; Increased convenience for citizens*

*GIS-based digitization of water supply & sewerage networks for 16 AMRUT towns and Sultanpur Lodhi completed*

Chandigarh, December 29:Punjab has shown exceptional performance in the field of solid waste management during the year 2025. Municipal Corporation Bathinda has received the Swachh Shahar Award in the Swachh Survekshan conducted by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Government of India.

Similarly, 25 ULBs have been certified as Garbage Free Star-1, 01 ULBs as Garbage Free Star-3, 46 ULBs as Pani+, 53 ULBs as ODF++, 43 ULBs as ODF+ and 22 ULBs as ODF.

Punjab Local Government Minister Dr. Ravjot Singh, giving details about the initiatives taken by the Local Government Department during the current year by the State Government led by Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann, said that Punjab has managed old waste in 131 ULBs under the state’s legacy waste disposal initiative. Under this, out of a total of 84.09 lakh metric tons of old waste, 40.78 lakh metric tons have already been managed, while a plan has been prepared to manage the remaining 43.31 lakh metric tons of waste (35 ULBs) by April, 2027.

Dr. Ravjot Singh said that during the year 2025, special attention was paid to the management of fresh waste, under which work was undertaken to improve door-to-door waste collection, segregation at source and processing by ULBs. He informed that out of the total 4008 TPD solid waste, 3243 TPD (81%) of wet waste is being processed through composting and bio-methanation and channelization of dry waste, which can be recycled by scrap dealers and waste collectors.

Further informing, the Minister added that 9812 tricycles and 3162 mechanical vehicles have been deployed for waste collection and transportation. Also, 8436 compost pits (aerobic honeycomb) and 276 material recovery facilities have been constructed for waste processing.

The Cabinet Minister informed that various projects of Ludhiana, Amritsar, Jalandhar and Sultanpur Lodhi are under progress under the Smart Cities Mission. As part of Ludhiana Smart City Project, 71 projects worth Rs. 769.18 crore have been completed, while 08 projects worth Rs. 138.05 crore are under development. He also divulged that 19 projects worth Rs. 580 crore of Amritsar Smart City Project have been completed, while 10 projects worth Rs. 245 crore are under development.

Likewise, 56 projects worth Rs. 771.57 crore of Jalandhar Smart City have been completed, while 04 projects worth Rs. 162.88 crore are under development. He informed that under Sultanpur Lodhi Smart City mission, 06 projects worth Rs. 29.57 crore have been completed and 14 projects worth Rs. 136.28 crore are under progress. He also disclosed that in addition to the above, infrastructure works worth Rs. 850 crore have been done in 166 ULBs with funds provided by the Punjab Government through PIDB since March, 2022.

Along with this, development works worth Rs. 1700 crore have been done in 166 ULBs with MC funds, while development works worth Rs. 450 crore have been completed in 05 Municipal Corporations and 49 Municipal Councils.

Dr. Ravjot Singh further pointed out that sm

under the Revival of Auto-Rickshaws (RAAHI) scheme to reduce air pollution in the holy city of Amritsar, 1200 old diesel auto-rickshaws have been replaced with new electric autos.

Apart from this, 200 pink e-autos have been given to women beneficiaries at a subsidized price of 90 percent to empower women in the city. To ensure efficient public transport system with zero emission in the major cities of the state, 447 e-buses are being purchased for major cities namely Amritsar (100), Jalandhar (97), Ludhiana (100), Patiala (50) and SAS Nagar (Mohali) Cluster (100), which will improve the public transport system and reduce dependence on private transport in the major cities of the state.

Dr. Ravjot Singh informed that the Local Government Department has successfully started door step delivery of services, which has increased the convenience of the citizens. He said that it has been ensured that the main Municipal Corporation services are accessible without the need to visit government offices.

The Local Government Minister further articulated that the work of GIS-based digitization of water supply and sewerage networks for 16 Amrut towns and Sultanpur Lodhi has been completed. He informed that Rs. 32 crore has been received as incentive under the 'Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment (SASCI) 2024-25' scheme. He informed that the sewerage mapping for 103 ULBs and water supply mapping for 105 ULBs have been finalized.