The Chief Minister of Punjab, Bhagwant Mann, appointed 710 patwaris and increased their monthly stipend from Rs 5,000 to Rs 18,000 on Friday, 8 September. These patwaris will be on six-month training starting Monday, 11 September.
CM Mann also mentioned that the government has issued 586 new positions for patwaris, for which the advertisement was released on Friday.
Punjab CM also advised newly appointed officials to carry out their responsibilities responsibly, emphasizing that they did not require the assistance of the minister and that prior admission tests had involved bribery.
"It never happened earlier that for Patwari’s post, you did not have to pay money. When you go out in the field, lakhs of files will come to you. I hope you will be upright and make just decisions.”Bhagwant Mann, Punjab CM
During the event, Mann slammed opposition parties, claiming that previous administrations operated on a quid pro quo basis and rotated in power.
"Nobody cared for the public; nobody looked after hospitals and schools," he alleged.
Mann also said that his government cleared the loan on PSPCL, claiming that previous government left a pending amount of Rs 9,000 crore.
"We have waived off pending bills and paid off the loan of power utility PSPCL [Punjab State Power Corporation Ltd.]. They left a pending amount of Rs 9,000 crore as arrears towards the power utility. We have paid off the first installment. We are recording an increase in GST collections. Whatever money we collect, it will be given to people as it belongs to them," said Mann.
Punjab's revenue department has come under fire for extending the one-and-a-half-year training time for patwaris and paying them a contract salary of Rs 167 per day.
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