Disclosing his agenda for developing Punjab, Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi on Monday said his agenda of the
state’s progress focuses on free education and health, to provide better livelihood and pucca house.

Addressing a Press conference, Channi said he comes from a poor family and had lived through poverty. “I understand the problems that a person belonging to the lower class or middle-class faces.

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Therefore, for me it is important to provide free education, free health facilities, better living, and a pukka house to all the needy,” he said.

Channi said education is the backbone of a society and a poor person is not able to get admission to private colleges and universities.

“We will provide free education in government schools and colleges to all the students belonging to SC category and for availing education in private institutions we will start SC scholarship, BC Scholarship and EWS scholarship for general category students,” he said while adding that professional education will also be encouraged for developing the skills of the youth.

Channi said that a university is being built in SriChamkaur Sahib at the cost of Rs 500 crore and this university will also have tie-ups with foreign universities. “Moreover, the Punjab Cabinet has already approved to provide interest-free loans to the needy students who are willing to study abroad,” he said.

“Our government will also provide interest-free loans for the startups and within one year of forming the government we will provide one lakh jobs to the unemployed,” said Channi.

The CM said in just 111 days of his tenure, his government has made petrol and diesel cheaper in the state. Apart from this, power charges, water bills, etc. were waived off and many other important decisions were taken.

Channi also emphasised providing better healthcare facilities to the people of Punjab and said that free health facilities would be provided to the people. The CM said he had endured poverty and could understand what a ‘Pucca House’ meant for the lower and middle families.

“Our government will provide Pucca House to the needy within six months,” he said.

Channi also lashed out at the Aam Aadmi Party and said that every fourth candidate of the party is facing FIR. He said that there are around 60 candidates of Shiromani Akali Dal and 44 candidates of AAP against whom criminal cases are registered.