Drawing a comparison between Haryana and Punjab’s economic performance, Haryana chief minister Nayab Singh Saini on Wednesday said Punjab’s people were hardworking but needed better opportunities, employment and development.
Highlighting Haryana’s higher economic growth rate and greater budgetary allocations for healthcare and social security, Saini said Punjab needed solutions, security and development rather than confrontation and political publicity.
Addressing a public gathering at Guru Har Sahai in Ferozepur, Saini said Haryana’s economic growth rate for 2025-26 was estimated at 9.5%, compared with 6.1% for Punjab—a difference of 3.4 percentage points. He said the people of Punjab should not be blamed for the state’s slower development, as they were hardworking and capable of achieving progress if provided with adequate opportunities.
Saini claimed that around 3.25 lakh Punjab government employees were still awaiting their earlier dearness allowance (DA) dues. He also alleged that industries were leaving Punjab, raising concerns over the state’s economic prospects.
Comparing healthcare allocations, Saini said his state had earmarked ₹12,840 crore for health services, against ₹7,787 crore in Punjab. He claimed that Haryana was according greater budgetary priority to rural development.
Highlighting his government’s employment record, Saini said more than two lakh government jobs had been provided in Haryana over the past nearly 12 years.
Saini said Punjab needed development-oriented governance and maintained that the BJP viewed politics as a means of public service, with “nation first” as its guiding principle.
Before addressing the gathering, Saini paid obeisance at Dera Baba Ram Thamman Ji Maharaj. He said the tradition associated with the dera had carried forward the message of service, harmony and humanity.
Referring to the region, Saini described it as a land of hardworking and self-respecting people. He highlighted the contribution of the Kamboj community to Punjab and the country through agriculture, hard work, courage and patriotism.
He also referred to the religious and spiritual ties between Punjab and Haryana, particularly the association of people from the region with Dera Sangan Sarista and Baba Bhuman Shah Ji in Sirsa.
During his address, Saini announced the ‘Seva Sankalp Abhiyan’ and appealed to people to participate in the initiative. He urged families to light an ‘Aashirwad Ka Diya’ at their homes between 6pm and 7pm and pray for the long life of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Haryana gears up for month-long Seva Sankalp Abhiyan
Haryana will join the nationwide Seva Sankalp Abhiyan from September 17 to October 17, marking Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 25-year journey in public service and take forward the resolve of ‘Viksit Bharat’ through public participation, officials said on Wednesday.
The month-long campaign will kick-start on Thursday, coinciding with Modi’s birthday, and feature a series of social service and public welfare initiatives, according to an official statement.
It will start with the ‘Aashirwad Ka Diya’ programme, under which diyas will be lit at identified locations and major project sites across the state. Different sections of society will be connected with service-oriented activities as part of the campaign, it said.
Saini on Wednesday chaired a meeting to review preparations for various programmes proposed under the campaign and issued necessary directions to the officers.
He directed that districts should finalise dates and action plans for programmes well in advance and nodal officers should be designated at the district level, while every programme should be regularly monitored.