On Wednesday, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann inaugurated a major rural development initiative through a virtual ceremony, launching the construction of 500 state-of-the-art village councils and public service centres. The project, with a total investment of ₹125 crore, will span across Punjab.
Speaking at an event in Fatehgarh Sahib, Mann announced that every village with a population exceeding 2,800 would soon see the addition of a dedicated panchayat building and a digital service hub. The estimated expenditure for each village council building is ₹20 lakh, while the service centres will cost around ₹5 lakh each.
In this initial rollout, 500 villages lacking existing panchayat facilities have been selected. These new spaces will serve as focal points for community decision-making and local governance.
Mann also emphasised the role of service centres in expanding digital access for rural residents, enabling them to use government services without needing to travel far.
He further stated that Punjab is undergoing significant positive change, noting that nearly 90 percent of homes are now receiving electricity without any cost, bringing financial relief to families across the state.
Criticising opposition parties, Mann remarked that their leadership is fragmented and lacks a clear agenda for Punjab’s future.
In another development, the Chief Minister dispatched a special train carrying 500 women representatives from local village bodies to Maharashtra. These sarpanches and panches will take part in a national-level convention, which Mann described as a milestone moment. He added that the participants were chosen from among the state’s most proactive and high-performing panchayats, and the visit would help them exchange ideas and practices with their counterparts from across India.
