category Regional, mehandpur (ropar), , tags Regional, mehandpur (ropar), , DW BUREAU Mehandpur (Ropar) Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Saturday said self-proclaimed leaders of the weaker and underprivileged sections of the society ruined their future by usurping money meant for student scholarships The Chief Minister, while addressing the gathering from across the country at a function organized by Sri Guru Ravidass Sadhu Sampraday Society here today, bemoaned that the poor people have been ditched by those only who claimed to be their own leaders. He reminded the people that earlier governments had ruined the future of poor students by usurping the money meant for the post matric scholarship scheme. Bhagwant Mann said that these leaders had backstabbed their own community by grabbing the money of scholarship meant for the SC students. The Chief Minister said that these leaders had always misled their people by creating a mirage of their well being whereas they didn t do even a single work to uplift the weaker sections. He said that these leaders shamefully used the poor people to scale new heights in political fields and then amass huge wealth by plundering the money of the public. Bhagwant Mann said that they earned the votes in the name of eliminating poverty but even after 75 years this menace continues to jeopardize the progress of the state and its people. The Chief Minister said that the previous governments were neck deep in corruption and the Ministers along with other leaders looted the money meant for the public. Citing an example, he said that the fact that two machines for counting notes were recovered from a former Minister s home at Hoshiarpur along with other wealth reflects how mercilessly these leaders had minted the money illegally by misusing their official position. However, Bhagwant Mann vowed that none of these leaders will be spared and they will be made accountable for every sin done against Punjab and its people. The Chief Minister said that in the last one year his government has made strenuous efforts to ensure that people get the benefits of the pro-people welfare schemes. However, he said that in the past affluent people used to get the benefits and deserving ones were left out. Bhagwant Mann said that this trend has been changed now as only the needy people are being extended subsidies. Assailing the previous governments for conniving with the private players to extend benefit to them, the Chief Minister said that during the successive regimes healthcare and education sectors were blatantly ignored to ensure that a readymade market was being made available to the big hospitals and educational institutes. He said that these private players then connived with the government by keeping their share in the loot. Likewise, Bhagwant Mann said that in the transport sector, the public sector undertakings were dominated by the private transporters thereby leading to their woes of common man. Slamming SAD Chief Sukhbir Singh Badal for issuing baseless statements against the state government, the Chief Minister said that this reflects the feudal mindset of these leaders who cannot digest that a government is working sincerely for the welfare of the common man. Training his guns against the former Deputy Chief Minister, he said that the person who himself wakes up at 12 noon can never imagine the benefits of changing the time of offices from 7:30 am to 2pm. Bhagwant Mann said that these leaders have been rejected by the people due to their such anti-people mindset adding that every decision of the state government is aimed at the well being of the common man. However, the Chief Minister said that after assuming charge of office, his government has taken various pro-people initiatives. He said that his government is providing free power to the state residents as a result of which 80 people are getting zero bills. Bhagwant Mann said that more than 9000 acres of land have been freed from the illegal occupation of the affluent people. The Chief Minister further said that the state government has dedicated more than 500 Aam Aadmi Clinics across the state to impart quality health services in the state. He said that these clinics are providing world class treatment and diagnostic facilities to the people free of cost. Bhagwant Mann said that so far 21.21 lakh patients have been benefitted from these Aam Aadmi clinics adding that it has helped the government in preparing a database for checking the various diseases prevalent in the state and combating them effectively. The Chief Minister further said that the state government has so far provided more than 28,000 jobs to the youth in the state. He said that these jobs have been given totally on the basis of merit and a completely transparent mechanism has been adopted for it. hagwant Mann said that the motive is to ensure that youth becomes an equal partner in the socio-economic growth of the state. The Chief Minister said that to realize the dream of Baba Sahib Dr BR Ambedkar to empower common man by spreading education, the state government has set up 117 Schools of Eminence across the 23 districts of the state to provide quality education to children. Bhagwant Mann said that these schools will focus on grooming students for five professional and competitive courses including engineering, law, commerce, UPSC and NDA. He said that these schools will enable the youth to compete with their counterparts educated in other parts of the globe. (editor dailyworld.in)