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Punjab : Jalandhar’s P.A.P. Inaugurating the distribution of post-matric scholarship to more than 2.7 lakh students of Scheduled Caste category at the ground, Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann described it as an important achievement of ‘Rangla Punjab’ Mission. He stressed that this scheme of Rs 271 crore will help children from economically weaker families to get higher education.

The Chief Minister said that this scholarship is not just financial assistance but a strong foundation of self-reliance, which prevents students from giving up their dreams due to lack of money. Under the scheme, students from families with annual income less than Rs 2.50 lakh are being benefited and the entire process is going on in a transparent manner.

35 percent increase in beneficiaries and impact of reforms
The Chief Minister said that the number of beneficiaries has increased by 35 percent in 2024-25 compared to 2020-21, which proves the success of the government’s education reforms. The budget has been increased from Rs 245 crore to Rs 271 crore. To prevent fraud, bio-authentication has been made mandatory for the first time and an accountability system is in place on the Dr. Ambedkar Scholarship Portal. Mann said that in the old system, students were deprived of examinations due to delay and misuse in releasing funds, but now this system has been completely reformed.

Accusations of scam on previous governments
Recalling the period from 2017 to 2020, the Chief Minister said that the Post-Matric Scholarship Scheme had almost come to a standstill and there was a big scam in the funds. The then minister betrayed his own community, due to which Scheduled Caste students were deprived of education and their degrees were withheld. Accusing Congress, Akali and BJP of nepotism and corruption, Mann said that these parties continued to focus on their own interests, while the Aam Aadmi Party is only focused on securing the future of the youth of Punjab.

Initiative inspired by the ideology of Baba Sahib Ambedkar
Referring to the teachings of Baba Sahib Ambedkar, the Chief Minister said that education is the most powerful weapon to eliminate social inequality and backwardness. By sharing the poem of Sant Ram Udasi, he inspired the youth to work hard. Praising the sacrifices of parents, Mann said that only education can break the cycle of poverty. This scheme has become a medium to change the fortunes of the weaker sections and is strengthening the commitment to social justice in Punjab.

Cashless treatment up to Rs 10 lakh to 65 lakh families
The Chief Minister also mentioned other schemes of his government, such as cashless treatment up to Rs 10 lakh to 65 lakh families through the Mukhyamantri Swasthya Yojana, 881 Aam Aadmi clinics, free electricity to 90 per cent of the families, saving of Rs 64 lakh per day by closing 19 toll plazas, 63,027 transparent government jobs and reconstruction of 6,900 km stretch of skins. Punjab has left Kerala behind in the National Achievement Survey. Smart classes, modern labs, sports grounds and foreign training are being provided in government schools.

The beneficiary students emotionally shared their experiences, in which MBBS students Dilpreet Singh, Harshita, Sursangam Kaur and Navansh Sidhu described the scheme as life-changing. Cabinet Minister Harpal Singh Cheema, Dr. Baljeet Kaur and other leaders were also present. This program raises new hopes for the weaker sections of Punjab and is a strong step towards social change through education.