Chandigarh: The Bhagwant Mann led AAP government in Punjab completed one year in office on Thursday. A year down the line since Mann and his ministers were sworn in on March 16 last year, Punjab has been in news for mixed reasons. From the Mohalla clinics set up by the Mann government on the model of Delhi to power waiver and to the resurgence of radical Sikh group Waris Punjab De led by Amritpal Singh, the state saw it all.
On the first anniversary of the AAP government in Punjab, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann reached out to the Punjabis. He said that the AAP will make stronger the faith that people reposed in the party last year. Delhi CM and AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal also tweeted on the occasion that the remaining guarantees to the people of Punjab will be fulfilled this year. Let us have a look at Bhagwant Mann's year in office.
Challenges-In the last one year, religious extremists have posed a challenge before the AAP government of law and order issue. The latest episode being the storming of a police station in Ajnala in Amritsar by Waris Punjab De led by Amritpal Singh against the detention of their fellow leader in which several cops were injured.
The radical Sikh challenge notwithstanding, the AAP government has grabbed headlines for the anti-corruption front. The AAP boasts of fulfilling the election promise of providing Aam Aadmi Clinics, 300 units free electricity and over 25000 promised jobs.
Crackdown on corruption- The AAP government in Punjab has set up the CM's round the clock helpline number to tackle corruption in the state. Taking the lead, Mann sacked his own health minister Vijay Singla on corruption. Besides, the axe has also fallen on three Congress Ministers on corruption charges. The Bhagwant Mann government has also flagged off two batches of school principals to Singapore for training. The state government has also set up 117 Schools of Eminence.
Jobs provided- The Bhagwant Mann government told the state assembly recently that 26,797 government jobs have been provided to the unemployed youth in 1 year in Punjab for which a budget of Rs 231 crore was set aside.
Drive against drugs- Police have arrested 11,360 drug traffickers including 1540 notorious drug traffickers in the one year since AAP took over in Punjab. The Punjab Police has busted heroin network based in Gujarat and Maharashtra ports. Cash worth Rs 10.36 crore has been recovered from the possession of drug smugglers as per officials. The AAP government has set up and strengthened five counter-intelligence wings and cyber crime centres.
Also read: Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann flags off 2nd batch of principals for Singapore training amid row with Guv
Mohalla clinics- The AAP government has set up 504 Aam Aadmi clinics for which 1353 medical staff have been recruited. The government has promised 142 more clinics this year. So far 10.50 lakh patients have been treated at the clinics with 80 types of medicines, one lakh diagnostic tests of 41 types done free of charge.
When AAP came to power in Punjab, the debt stood at Rs 2.83 lakh crore, which has now jumped to nearly Rs 3 lakh crore. To meet the budget announcements, the AAP government is seeking another loan of about Rs 35,000 crore. The power waiver in the state is said to be bleeding the government exchequer.
Road ahead- While the poll promises by the AAP of free power and employment in Punjab stand fulfilled, nothing has happened yet on the announcement of Rs 1,000 per month in the bank account of every woman above 18 years of age in the state. The increasing number of vacancies and the brain drain among the youth is another challenge before the AAP.
As many as 4,161 teachers of master cadre have not received joining letter. 1,337 driver-cleaners in Panbus are not confirmed. The works on provisioning Rs 5,000 allowance to the unemployed has not yet started. Drug addiction is yet another nuisance in the state with about 250 deaths related to the drugs being reported in a year. Gang wars in Punjab which witnessed the murder of singer-turned-politician Sidhu Moosewala on May 29 last year has also evolved as a major headache for the AAP government.
