DW Bureau  |  Chandigarh: Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Tuesday said that in a ‘good omen’ for the state, reverse migration is being witnessed in Punjab as youth are leaving foreign land to join government jobs in the state.

Addressing the gathering while handing over appointment letters to 417 youth here at the local Municipal Bhawan, the Chief Minister said that the state government has so far handed over appointment letters to 44,667 youth in various departments. He said that this recruitment has been purely done on merit by adopting a completely transparent process. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that this has increased the faith of youth in working of the state government due to which they have shunned the idea of moving abroad and are preparing for government jobs here.

The Chief Minister said that all the recruitments have been made completely on merit and the youths have been given jobs after clearing the exams in cut throat competition. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the sole agenda of his government from day one has been to empower the youth by giving government jobs to them. He said that this will make them an equal partner in the socio-economic growth of the country and the state.

The Chief Minister said that this has helped in shunning the negativity in minds of youth due to which they have now shelved the idea of going abroad and the process of reverse migration has started in Punjab. He said that if in 2.5 years more than 44,000 jobs can be given then the question arises why it was not done in the last 75 years for the well being of the youth. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the earlier governments had never bothered about it and had ruined the system due to which youth wanted to move abroad.

The Chief Minister said that the traditional parties always criticize him over one issue or the other but they never praise him for his exemplary works. He challenged the traditional parties that why they ignore the issues like government jobs to 44,667 youths, 300 units free power, Rs 1 crore to families of martyrs and others. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the leaders like Partap Singh Bajwa and others may speak anything against him but it will not deter him from working in the interest of Punjab and Punjabis.

Assailing Badal family and Captain Amarinder Singh, the Chief Minister said that these leaders ruled the state for a fairly long period but they did nothing for the welfare of people. He said that it is unfortunate that power remained in the hands of these leaders who misused it for their vested personal interests. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that these leaders had always given preference to their own interests over the state due to which system collapsed in Punjab.

The Chief Minister said that the state now has a government of the common man, which is committed for their well being and prosperity of the state. He said that Punjabis have brought a sea change by ousting the traditional parties from power and electing the sons of common people. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that a humble leader like Agriculture Minister Gurmeet Singh Khuddian has trounced five time Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal.

The Chief Minister quipped that those who claimed to rule the state for 25 years are not able muster support of even 25 leaders today. He said that it is paradoxical that Akali leaders are seeking pardon from Sri Akal Takht Sahib without naming the sin for which it is being sought. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the wise and brave people of state have outrightly rejected these opportunist leaders who had always deceived the state.