Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Thursday handed over appointment letters to 1,746 youth joining the Punjab Police, marking another major step in the state government’s drive to provide merit-based employment while strengthening the police force. He said that 13,092 personnel have been added to the Police force in the last four-and-a-half years, with recruitment of another 3,298 constables underway, while 70,840 youth have so far been given government jobs on merit under the ‘No Cash, No Farmaish’ principle.
Alongside expanding the force, the Punjab government has also approved 1,600 new district-cadre posts of Inspectors, SIs and ASIs to be filled through departmental promotions, underscoring its focus on strengthening the force while protecting Punjab’s hard-earned peace and tackling emerging challenges, including threats of unrest and terrorism and road safety.
Sharing a few snippets from the occasion, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann stated on X: “Today, at the PAP Ground in Jalandhar, handed over appointment letters to 1,746 young men and women joining the Punjab Police. These youngsters have been recruited under ‘No Cash, No Farmaish’, purely on the basis of merit… In the last around two-and-a-half years, our government has provided more than 70,840 jobs, which is a historic achievement. I am fully confident that these newly recruited brave young men and women will protect Punjab and the country with complete honesty and dedication… Heartiest congratulations to all the youngsters and their families on this new beginning. Welcome to the Punjab Police family. Inquilab Zindabad.”
Addressing the gathering during the passing out parade of 1,746 newly recruited constables at PAP Ground, Phillaur, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann congratulated the recruits on becoming an integral part of the Punjab Police family and called upon them to serve the people with dedication, professionalism and missionary zeal. He said that Punjab takes pride in providing the best possible remuneration to its employees, who are the backbone of the state administration. “If the Centre or any state government pays ₹36,000 to any of its employees, the Punjab government pays ₹50,000 to them. It is a matter of immense pride and satisfaction that the state government pays the highest salary to its employees, who are the backbone of the state government,” he said.
The Chief Minister said that the newly recruited youth were joining the government family at a time when the state government was creating employment opportunities across Punjab. He said the government has so far provided jobs to 70,840 youth purely on the basis of merit, with the selection process being completely transparent and free from corruption or recommendation. “Several young candidates have successfully secured government jobs multiple times in different departments, which reflects the credibility and competitiveness of our recruitment process. Our government has succeeded in creating employment opportunities for youth in every village, town and city of Punjab,” he said.
CM Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the latest recruitment has further strengthened the Punjab Police, adding that 13,092 youth have been recruited in various ranks of the force during the last four-and-a-half years, while the recruitment process for another 3,298 constables is underway. “From now onwards, you have become an integral part of the government family. Together, we will leave no stone unturned in our collective mission to restore the glory of a vibrant and prosperous Punjab. This is neither the first such achievement nor will it be the last,” he said.
The Chief Minister pointed out that the children of ordinary families are proving that dedication, perseverance and proper guidance can help them achieve even the most challenging goals. “You have shown that children of ordinary families can achieve every goal with dedication, perseverance and proper guidance. I hope that you will continue to achieve new milestones and bring laurels to Punjab in the years to come,” he said.
The Chief Minister said that the Punjab Police has a unique responsibility. “Everyone knows that Punjab Police is not only the police of a state, but it is the Police of the country, which safeguards the 532-kilometre-long border along with a hostile neighbour,” he said.
He said that the Punjab Police has always discharged its responsibility of protecting the unity and integrity of the country and maintaining peace in Punjab with dedication.
The Chief Minister said that Punjab had suffered a serious setback in the form of drugs, but the state government has launched ‘Yudh Nashean Virudh’ to decisively combat the menace. “Punjab had suffered a blot in the form of drugs, but now we are fighting Drug Terrorism. More than 70,000 drug smugglers have been put behind the bars in the last more than 500 days. The properties of drug peddlers involved in this heinous crime against humanity are being confiscated and demolished,” he said.
CM Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the Punjab Police, with the proactive support of the people, has broken the backbone of the drug menace and every effort is being made to make Punjab free from this curse.
Calling upon the newly inducted cops to play a proactive role in eliminating drugs, the Chief Minister said, “Punjab is fighting the nation’s war against drugs and the Punjab Police has always acted as a barrier for checking its supply. Now the time has come when you should uphold the glorious tradition of Punjab Police and work with full commitment to weed out the scourge of drugs from the state.”
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The Chief Minister said that, as a border state, Punjab continues to face attempts by inimical forces to disturb its hard-earned peace. “A number of forces inimical to the state have been chalking out nefarious designs to disturb the hard-earned peace of Punjab, but the Punjab Police has always foiled such attempts,” he said, adding that the force must continuously upgrade itself in accordance with advanced requirements in investigation, science and technology.
CM Bhagwant Singh Mann expressed hope that the Punjab Police would uphold its glorious legacy of serving people with utmost professional commitment and that the new recruits would follow the high ideals set by their predecessors.
Congratulating the newly recruited cops, the Chief Minister said that joining the Punjab Police was a momentous occasion and exhorted them to discharge their duties with utmost dedication, hard work and commitment. “You must play a proactive role in mitigating the woes of the general public and delivering justice to them. Your foremost priority should be the welfare of the public so that every section of society benefits from your service,” he said.
The Chief Minister said that the state government is committed to upgrading the police force on scientific lines to enable it to combat criminals effectively. He said that since 2022, more than 15,000 appointment letters have been issued in the Police force to strengthen and update it, while new and updated vehicles have also been provided to personnel for efficient discharge of their duties.
He also said that the government has approved 1,600 new district-cadre posts in the Punjab Police, comprising 150 Inspectors, 450 Sub-Inspectors and 1,000 Assistant Sub-Inspectors, to be filled through departmental promotions and provide serving police personnel opportunities for career advancement. “For the first time, Police officers are being given promotions as per their merit and on their turn. We are committed to strengthening the force so that our police personnel can perform their duties more effectively,” CM Bhagwant Singh Mann said.
Highlighting the government’s road-safety initiative, the Chief Minister said that Punjab has launched the country’s first dedicated Sadak Surakhya Force (SSF) to enhance security and save precious lives on state and national highways.
He said that specially trained personnel, including girls, have been recruited for the force and equipped with modern vehicles. The force has been deployed along approximately 4,200 kilometres of accident-prone highways. The official briefing states that the formation of the force has resulted in a 52.87 per cent reduction in deaths in road accidents. “The SSF is a first-of-its-kind initiative in the country to ensure enhanced security and save precious lives on the highways. These young personnel are acting as the backbone of this force and are working to make our roads safer,” he said.
CM Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the force is also acting as a deterrent against traffic violations and added that Union Minister Nitin Gadkari had hailed the initiative of the state government in Parliament. “Now you have become an integral part of the government. Serve the people with missionary zeal and use your pen and your position to help the needy and underprivileged sections of society,” he told the newly recruited youth.
On the occasion, Cabinet Minister Mohinder Bhagat, Chief Secretary KAP Sinha, DGP Gaurav Yadav and other dignitaries were also present.
