*Punjab Government Releases Rs.245 Crore Under Post-Matric Scholarship; Major Relief for 2.45 Lakh Students: Dr. Baljit Kaur*

*Post-Matric Scholarship Provides Strong Support for Higher Education of Students from Underprivileged Families*

*Major Step Towards Social Justice Under the Leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann*

Chandigarh, April 9:In a significant step towards ensuring higher education opportunities for Scheduled Caste students, the Punjab Government under the leadership of Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann has released Rs.245 crore under the Post-Matric Scholarship Scheme during the financial year 2025-26.

Sharing more Details, Social Security, Women and Child Development Minister Dr. Baljit Kaur said that data of more than 2.45 lakh eligible students has been received under the scheme, who will directly benefit from the financial assistance. She stated that this scholarship is proving to be a major support for students belonging to economically weaker sections and has reduced the financial burden on thousands of families.

Dr. Baljit Kaur further said that the Punjab Government is committed to ensuring that no deserving student is deprived of education due to financial constraints. She added that the Post-Matric Scholarship Scheme is emerging as a ray of hope for thousands of students, enabling them to pursue higher education and shape a better future.

The Minister also emphasized that when students from underprivileged backgrounds achieve higher education and move ahead in life, it not only transforms their families but also contributes to the overall progress of society. She reiterated that the Punjab Government remains committed to promoting social justice, equal opportunities and educational empowerment for all.

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*From National Leader to Global Excellence: Punjab Launches Mission Samrath 2026–27 with Attendance-Linked Learning Reform*

*• Harjot Bains & Manish Sisodia release Mission Samrath’s Compendium of 38 best classroom practices pioneered by teachers*

*• Mission Samrath 4.0 takes Punjab’s Shikhya Kranti to next level with attendance-linked reform: Harjot Singh Bains*

*• From PARAKH No.1 to global excellence, Punjab expands Shikhya Kranti with Mission Samrath 4.0: Harjot Singh Bains*

*• CM Bhagwant Singh Mann raised Punjab’s education budget to ₹19,279 crore, ensuring funds reach classrooms, not remain stuck in files: Harjot Singh Bains*

*• AAP is first such party whose agenda includes govt schools, and today schools are also continuously receiving grants: Harjot Singh Bains*

*• Such massive change in basic infrastructure of govt schools is result of Bhagwant Mann Govt's true intent: Harjot Singh Bains*

*• Punjab schools see transformation from infrastructure to outcomes under sustained education reforms: Harjot Singh Bains*

*• I haven't been to Finland myself, but we’re sending govt school teachers there to learn best practices & impart them to classrooms in Punjab: Harjot Singh Bains*

*• If even one child is left behind or pushed below bottom line, govt has failed in its most fundamental duty to ensure every child learns & progresses: Manish Sisodia*

CHANDIGARH, April 9:Punjab has pushed its Sikhya Kranti (education revolution) into the next phase, with Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains, along with former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister and AAP Punjab Prabhari Manish Sisodia, on Thursday launching Mission Samrath 4.0, a flagship foundational learning programme aimed at achieving global excellence in education. The new phase introduces a state-wide attendance tracking system under which parents will receive daily SMS alerts on their child’s attendance, marking a decisive shift towards real-time accountability and stronger learning continuity in classrooms.

Declaring it as the next big leap in Punjab’s Sikhya Kranti, the Education Minister said Punjab, already ranked No.1 in the PARAKH (Performance Assessment, Review, and Analysis of Knowledge for Holistic Development) survey, is now moving from recognition to results by tightening classroom accountability and scaling proven teaching practices. He underscored that CM Bhagwant Singh Mann has raised the education budget to ₹19,279 crore, ensuring funds reach classrooms rather than remain stuck in files, driving visible transformation from basic infrastructure to measurable learning outcomes across government schools.

Highlighting Punjab’s top rank in the PARAKH Rashtriya Sarvekshan 2024, Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains said that under the leadership of CM Bhagwant Singh Mann, the Punjab Government has introduced the attendance tracking system as part of Mission Samrath 2026–27.

He stated, “Parents will receive daily SMS alerts on their child’s attendance, with notifications for every absence, aiming to boost regular attendance, learning continuity and classroom engagement. Any child absent for seven days will trigger a district-level parent contact, while absence beyond 15 days will be flagged to state headquarters. This will ensure both learning continuity and child safety.”

Emphasising the impact of the programme, the Education Minister stated, “Mission Samrath has transformed classroom dynamics. This phase focuses on enhancing teaching quality and accountability through attendance tracking, improved monitoring and sharing the best practices. Our goal is to ensure that every child achieves strong foundational learning.”

Reflecting on his journey, he added, “I’m grateful for this responsibility (being the Education Minister). Earlier, every MLA wanted to be a minister, but never the education minister. For me, it has been a dream job.”

Highlighting the Punjab Government’s investment in education, Minister Harjot Singh Bains said, “CM Bhagwant Singh Mann increased the education budget from ₹12,657 crore in 2021–22 to ₹19,279 crore in 2026–27, the largest allocation for any sector in Punjab. This money isn’t just on paper. It has reached every school. Teachers used to collect donations to repair toilets or buy brooms during past regimes. Now, they say, don’t send grants, we haven’t spent the last one.”

He further underlined improvements in school infrastructure under the Bhagwant Mann government, stating that every senior secondary school with more than 500 students now has a dedicated campus manager, while schools with over 100 students have been provided security guards and sanitation staff, facilities that were once unavailable.

On academic reforms, Minister Harjot Singh Bains said that textbooks now reach students on time, adding, “Earlier, teachers photocopied pages till September or October as books hadn’t arrived. This year, the Punjab Government delivered complete textbooks to every child on April 1, free of cost, like any private school, made possible through meticulous planning and political will.”

Explaining the core focus of Mission Samrath 4.0, he said, “The programme ensures that children in grades 3 to 8 master reading, writing and mathematics.” Sharing a classroom example, he added, “A class 8 student from Gardale village in Ropar said, ‘I passed class 5, but knew nothing. Thanks to Samrath, I can now talk to you with confidence.’ The results are now visible in national data. Punjab has surpassed the national average in foundational learning by 18% in grade 3 and 26–28% in grade 6. That is our real medal.”

Minister Harjot Singh Bains and former Delhi Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia also released the Mission Samrath Compendium, documenting 38 proven classroom practices developed by Punjab’s teachers, which will now be scaled across government schools to accelerate learning outcomes, particularly for students requiring additional support.

Minister Harjot Singh Bains noted that Mission Samrath has already become one of India’s largest foundational learning programmes, covering nearly 12 lakh students and engaging over 70,000 teachers annually, with its level-based teaching approach grouping students by learning level rather than grade, contributing to Punjab’s top rank in PARAKH.

Manish Sisodia said, “Punjab has proven that government schools can lead the nation. Being ranked number one in PARAKH 2024 is testament to that. With Mission Samrath 4.0, the state ensures every child is in school every day and learning well. This is a step towards global excellence.”

He further emphasised the philosophy behind the reforms, stating, “Every child cannot be sent to IIT, but the government’s duty is to ensure that no child falls below the bottom line. Because if a system allows any child to remain beneath that line, the government has failed. A child is not a statistic. A child is hope. And hope cannot be left below the bottom line.”

Highlighting the importance of accountability, Manish Sisodia added, “Across the country, people read speeches of education ministers, prime ministers and chief ministers. But speeches alone do not change lives. Examples do. A parent, busy elsewhere, receives a simple message: ‘Your ward has reached school safely.’ That small act of accountability, that real-time reassurance, is worth more than a thousand grand declarations.”

Secretary School Education Sonali Giri welcomed the dignitaries and said, “We will ensure every student and parent feels proud to be part of government schools. Punjab has set the benchmark, and Mission Samrath will take it further.”

Director SCERT Kiran Sharma, Advisory Board Member of Central Square Foundation Shaveta Sharma Kukreja, and other senior officials of the department were also present on the occasion.

*Attendance-Linked Reform to Strengthen Learning Continuity*

Mission Samrath, the Bhagwant Mann Government’s flagship programme, follows a focused, classroom-driven approach by teaching children according to their learning level rather than grade, supported by regular assessments to identify gaps, activity-based learning, and continuous mentoring for teachers. Building on Punjab’s emergence as the top-performing state in the PARAKH Rashtriya Sarvekshan 2024, the Punjab Government has now launched Mission Samrath 2026–27 to move from national leadership towards global excellence in education.

A key feature of this phase is the introduction of a state-wide attendance tracking system under which parents will receive daily SMS alerts regarding their child’s attendance, including notifications for every absence. This mechanism is designed to improve regular attendance, ensure learning continuity, enhance classroom engagement, and build stronger accountability between schools and families, while reinforcing the link between attendance and learning outcomes.

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*Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema chairs crucial review meeting with banks on Pensioner Sewa Portal*

*Future pension reimbursements to banks strictly contingent upon their performance & progress: Harpal Singh Cheema*

*Finance Minister issues firm directives for immediate software integration & JPP compliance*

*Delays in pension processing unacceptable, banks told to fix systems immediately: Harpal Singh Cheema*

CHANDIGARH, 9th April 2026:Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema chaired a high-level review meeting with banks to assess delays and critical pending issues related to the Pensioner Sewa Portal, taking stock of missed timelines, incomplete tasks, and system gaps. He issued strict directives for immediate compliance, accelerated integration, and clearance of pending cases, while making it clear that future pension reimbursements would be strictly linked to the banks’ performance and tangible progress.

Providing a comprehensive update on the situation, Finance Minister Cheema detailed the government's stance, past actions, and strict future expectations from all participating financial institutions.

Addressing the bankers, Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema stated, “I have been closely monitoring this situation since our initial meeting on December 24, 2025, where banks committed to various timelines for completing tasks related to the portal. Following a review held under the Additional Chief Secretary, Finance on February 2, 2026, it was clearly observed that the banks had not fully adhered to the given timelines. Accordingly, the timelines were extended and revised strictly as per the request of the banks themselves.”

Recalling his intervention in a later meeting, Harpal Singh Cheema said, “In the review held on February 26, 2026, it was decided to release the pension reimbursement claims for November 2025 to the banks, but this was subject to the strict condition that the banks complete the Jeevan Pramaan Patras (JPPs) for the remaining pensioners and submit the pending PPO PDFs by March 31, 2026. The release of claims for all subsequent months was made entirely contingent upon the tangible progress achieved by the banks.”

He shared, “I can confirm that all e-scrolls for November 2025 have been uploaded by the banks for reimbursement, and the payments have been successfully released by the State across the board. There is a need for accelerated action regarding the submission of Digital Life Certificates through Jeevan Pramaan Patras and the integration of the Pensioner Sewa Portal with bank software. The integration of the portal with bank software has been successfully completed by Punjab & Sind Bank, Indian Overseas Bank, and Canara Bank.”

Laying out clear directives, the Finance Minister said, “The banks must upload the scrolls correct in all respects, following the standard operating procedures and strictly as per the calculations and formulas fixed in the Pensioner Sewa Portal so that the scrolls may be approved at the earliest.”

Emphasising urgency, Harpal Singh Cheema added, “Banks must prioritise providing the pending PPO PDFs and approving the pending provisional pensioners without delay. They must also actively remove any discrepancies raised by the District Treasury Officers in the uploaded scrolls. Completing the integration of the bank’s software with our portal at the earliest is absolutely imperative.”

Concluding the meeting, the Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema instructed the banks to accurately mark NRIs on the portal and upload the notarized Life Certificates submitted by them. He stated that banks must decisively accept or reject the JPP requests currently pending at their level. Further, banks must make the requisite changes in their internal systems immediately to avoid any undue rejections or acceptance of JPPs in the future.

The Finance Minister was accompanied by the Additional Chief Secretary, Finance, Alok Shekhar, Additional Director, Treasury and Account, Simarjeet Kaur and other senior officials of the Finance department.

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PPCB wins SKOCH Silver Award 2025 for Stubble Burning Reduction Initiative

Chandigarh, April 09:Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) Wins SKOCH Silver Award 2025 for Stubble Burning Reduction Initiative.

The Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) has been conferred the SKOCH Silver Award 2025 in the Environment category for its project titled “From Crisis to Breakthrough – Punjab’s Clean Air Transformation,” recognising the state’s sustained efforts in effective stubble burning management and achieving a 92% reduction in farm fire incidents. The award was presented at the 107th SKOCH Summit, “Governance Transformed,” held on 28th March at India Habitat Centre, New Delhi.

Over the past five years, Punjab has made significant strides in addressing the challenge of stubble burning through coordinated, multi-departmental efforts. This has involved a combination of real-time monitoring and enforcement, along with long-term structural interventions such as large-scale deployment of crop residue management (CRM) machinery, strengthening of Custom Hiring Centres, and a substantial increase in ex-situ utilisation of paddy straw – from 8.8 lakh tonnes per annum to over 40 lakh tonnes annually – facilitated significantly by PPCB.

Ms. Reena Gupta, Chairperson, PPCB, stated, “We are honoured to receive this national recognition. It reflects the Government of Punjab’s strong commitment to addressing a complex environmental challenge that impacts not just the state but the entire Indo-Gangetic Plain. This achievement is the result of sustained, collective action across multiple stakeholders.”

While the progress has been substantial, the state continues to build on this momentum with targeted action plans aimed at eliminating stubble burning in the coming years, positioning Punjab as a model for replication across other states.

The SKOCH Award is highly competitive, involving a rigorous multi-stage evaluation process, including detailed submissions, presentations before an expert jury, and public voting rounds. PPCB’s initiative was selected among several high-impact projects from across the country, underscoring its effectiveness and scalability.

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Harbhajan Singh ETO holds review meeting on progress of roads being constructed by PWD

Public Works Minister orders completion of road construction work before monsoon

Chandigarh, April 9:Cabinet Minister S. Harbhajan Singh ETO today holds a detailed review meeting at Punjab bhawan for the progress of roads being constructed by the Public Works Department of the Government of Punjab.

Cabinet Minister Harbhajan Singh ETO directed the officials during the meeting to ensure that the Punjab government led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann achieves the set targets for the construction of roads in the state at all costs. He directed the officials of the Public Works Department to complete the road construction work before the monsoon.

He said that under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana, the work of reconstruction of rural roads is being done with the new technology of full depth reclamation in the construction of roads. In the first phase, 410 km of roads will be reconstructed through this technology. Through this technology, the need for further excavation will be avoided by using the road metal already present in the road. This will also prevent environmental pollution and unnecessary raising of the level of the roads will also be avoided.

The Cabinet Minister directed that the progress should be increased by working more quickly to eliminate the delay in the work due to the unseasonal rains in the past.

During the meeting, the officials informed that the hot mix plants in the state have started working at their full capacity, due to which more than 200 km of road construction work is being done in the state every day.

He said that the construction of about 45000 km of roads will be done in the state by June 30, 2026.

He said that due to the ongoing war in the Gulf countries, there is some shortage of bitumen, but the department officials have made full preparations to deal with this problem.

S. Harbhajan Singh E. T. O. instructed the department officials to work with full enthusiasm to achieve the financial and operational targets, so that the people can get a good road network.

During this, the Administrative Secretary of the department Mr. Ravi Bhagat, Joint Secretary Mr. Amarbir Sidhu, Engineer in Chief Gagandeep Singh, Chief Engineer Anil Gupta and other senior officers of the department were present.