Marking a bold step towards a drug-free and educated Punjab, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) Punjab unit in-charge Manish Sisodia on Monday launched the ambitious ‘Punjab Sikhiya Kranti’ — a 54-day statewide campaign focused on transforming government schools and eradicating drug addiction through education.

The campaign was flagged off with the unveiling of a Rs 5.68 crore inaugural plaque at the School of Eminence in Nawanshahr, heralding a massive infrastructure upgrade in 12,000 government schools, with the state earmarking a whopping Rs 2,000 crore for the education sector over the next two months. Simultaneously, a multitude of projects were inaugurated under the campaign by the Cabinet Ministers and AAP MLAs across the state.

Chief Minister Mann, addressing a large gathering, said: “Earlier, sending a child to a government school was a compulsion. Today, it is a choice. Our government has turned schools into temples of learning, not just mid-day meal centres as seen under previous regimes.”

The event was also attended by MLAs, education officials, and Lok Sabha MP Malwinder Singh Kang. Mann credited Delhi's education model under AAP as the inspiration behind Punjab's reforms and said that the state is already reaping the benefits, with teachers undergoing global training in Singapore, Finland, and premier Indian institutes like IIM Ahmedabad.

Mann said that the State Government has also been sending the teachers abroad and even to prestigious national institutes to upscale their teaching skills. “The well-trained staff has helped in enhancing the rate of admissions in the government schools,” he said, adding that now, the teachers and Principals are focusing only on education as for all the rest of work, the required staff has been recruited by the state government.

Highlighting the twin pillars of the initiative — quality education and drug de-addiction — Mann emphasized, “We are not only cracking down on drug peddlers but also ensuring our children are empowered to resist drugs through world-class education.”

Delhi’s former Deputy Chief Minister and former Education Minister Manish Sisodia lauded Mann’s efforts, asserting, “The future of a drug-free Punjab lies in great education. We’re not here to divide people through politics — we’re here to unite them through progress.”

He noted that more than 12,000 schools have already undergone transformation in the last three years, benefiting 29 lakh students who now have access to modern facilities and well-trained, motivated teachers.

Under the Sikhiya Kranti, the state will also implement an innovative School Mentorship Program, under which IAS and IPS officers will voluntarily adopt Schools of Eminence in rural areas. Starting with 80 such schools, each officer will mentor students for five years — offering career guidance, helping prepare for competitive exams, and facilitating teacher training.

Mann called the program a “game-changer”, noting that these officers will act as facilitators and resource mobilizers, not as bureaucratic bosses. “We are focusing on dialogue, mentorship, and shared learning between top officers and young minds,” he said.

The State Government has already created over 54,000 merit-based jobs, channelizing youth energy into productive roles. “Every job was given without corruption or nepotism,” said Mann, adding, “This is the Punjab we are building — progressive, empowered, and drug-free.”

Simultaneously, the state has intensified its ‘Yudh Nasheyan De Virudh’ campaign. Mann said that major drug smugglers have been arrested and their illegally acquired properties are being seized or destroyed to send a strong message. “We will not allow the business of drugs to flourish over the ashes of our youth,” he declared.

On the fiscal front, the state has allocated Rs 18,047 crore — 11 percent of its total budget — to the education sector this year. Mann believed that this investment will “carve out a new, prosperous Punjab”.

The launch of this massive drive also drew political heat. While the AAP celebrated the initiative as a revolution in governance, opposition parties criticized it as a publicity stunt. However, both Mann and Sisodia dismissed the criticism, reiterating their commitment to real change on the ground.

As lakhs of parents attend regular PTMs and government school admissions continue to rise, the Mann-led administration hoped that the ‘Sikhiya Kranti’ will be the turning point — not just for Punjab’s education system, but for its battle against drugs and decline.

Simultaneous Inaugurations Across State

Punjab Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains on Monday inaugurated school infrastructure projects worth over Rs 3.5 crore in Mohali and Ropar districts, marking a major push under the state’s flagship ‘Sikhya Kranti’ mission. 

In Mohali, Bains dedicated facilities worth Rs 2.34 crore across three government schools, including renovated blocks, a mini science centre, new classrooms, and girl-friendly toilet infrastructure. He also announced Rs 10 lakh for a playground at the School of Eminence, Phase-11, and revealed that 89 government schools in the district have received a facelift under the initiative. In Ropar, he inaugurated projects worth Rs 1.23 crore, including science labs, classrooms, playgrounds, and boundary walls in four schools. 

Taking a sharp dig at opposition leaders, Bains accused them of turning a blind eye to government school decay during their tenures and now opposing transformative reforms. “This is a fight against the private school mafia that thrived on the neglect of public education,” he said. 

Highlighting achievements, Bains noted 189 government school students recently cleared JEE Mains and claimed that 90 percent of schools now have WiFi, separate toilets, and proper boundary walls. He urged collective support to realize the dream of quality education for every child in Punjab. “Education will thrive, Punjab will thrive, and our children will thrive,” he said.

In Sangrur, AAP’s Punjab unit president and Cabinet Minister Aman Arora also dedicated development works worth Rs 2.51 crore in six government schools of Sunam Udham Singh Wala constituency to revamp public education in the state. “Education and health have, for the first time, become central to Punjab’s development agenda. Over 9,000 students have shifted from private to government schools in the past three years, with 189 government school students cracking JEE, including Roshan Kumar from Badrukhan,” he said urging the youth participation in sports to support the state’s anti-drug campaign.

Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema, unveiling development works worth Rs 1.08 crore in Dirba to overhaul government schools, said that 12,000 schools are already undergoing major upgrades. With a 57 percent rise in the education budget, the state has sent teachers abroad for training and recruited 20,000 teachers, he said. Cheema, who also heads the anti-drug task force, highlighted strict action under the ‘Yudh Nashian Virudh’ campaign, including anti-drone systems near the Pakistan border to curb drug trafficking.

Cabinet Minister Tarunpreet Singh Sond, inaugurating infrastructure projects worth Rs 79.85 lakh in six government schools in Khanna, noted the government’s record Rs 17,975 crore allocation to the education sector. Sond highlighted how government schools are now outperforming private institutions, with enrolments rising sharply. The state has regularized 12,500 temporary teachers and is hiring 20,000 more.

Cabinet Minister Hardeep Singh Mundian, inaugurating development works worth Rs two crore in Sahnewal and Dakha, lauded the transformative journey of government schools. Declaring it a “red-letter day” for education, he emphasized the power of education to shape youth into doctors, engineers, and civil servants. Mundian called on parents and teachers to support children’s growth, saying the government’s mission is to build a prosperous Punjab through education.

Cabinet Minister Lal Chand Kataruchak, launching development projects worth over Rs one crore in multiple government schools across Bhoa, Sujanpur, and Pathankot, emphasized the government's dual focus on education and healthcare, crediting the overhaul for rising student enrolments in government schools. “This educational revolution is reshaping Punjab’s future,” said Kataruchak, pledging continued investment in school infrastructure.

Vidhan Sabha Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan also inaugurated multiple school projects in Kotkapura, stating improved infrastructure has attracted 9,000 private school students to government institutions. Sandhwan said that 1177 watchmen, 1809 campus managers, and over 12,000 teachers have been recruited.

Opposition Slams ‘Sikhya Kranti’, Calls It Publicity Gimmick, Scam in the Making

Chandigarh: AAP Government’s much-hyped ‘Punjab Sikhya Kranti’ initiative came under sharp attack from Opposition parties on Monday, with leaders from the Congress, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), and BJP terming it a publicity-driven gimmick aimed at covering up failures in the education sector.

Leader of Opposition and senior Congress leader Partap Singh Bajwa dubbed the campaign as “petty theatrics”, accusing AAP of misusing school teachers as its “propaganda machinery”. Bajwa claimed that teachers were being directed to create social media accounts and promote the government’s activities using hashtags like #PunjabSikhyaKranti. “Instead of addressing the severe staff shortage and basic infrastructure needs in schools, the AAP government is obsessed with photo-ops and ceremonial inaugurations,” he said.

Bajwa further alleged that the government was spending over Rs 20 crore merely on inaugural plaques and related events, questioning if this constituted their so-called education model. “Twelve lakh students in Class VIII, X, and XII are facing uncertainty due to lack of resources, yet AAP is squandering taxpayers' money on vanity projects,” he added.

Joining the chorus, SAD leader Daljit Singh Cheema called the initiative “a scam in the making”. He said that Rs 35 crore plan to install 25,000 plaques for minor repair works and hold unveiling ceremonies was a blatant misuse of funds. Cheema criticized Chief Minister Mann for handing over school-related responsibilities to Delhi-based AAP leaders like Manish Sisodia. “Why has governance in Punjab been outsourced to Delhi? This is an attempt to funnel state resources out of Punjab,” he said.

Cheema also condemned the pressure being mounted on teachers to act as social media influencers for the party. “Teachers are being made to put up plaques for trivial works instead of focusing on teaching. This is a diversion from the real crisis — over 60,000 vacant posts and lack of modern educational tools in government schools,” he added.

BJP’s Punjab vice-president Arvind Khanna echoed similar concerns, calling AAP’s education revolution a “hypocrisy”. He accused the government of issuing arbitrary orders to promote ministers on personal social media accounts of school and health department employees. “This is an attempt to mislead the public and glorify routine repairs as revolutionary change,” Khanna said, warning that the people of Punjab would respond decisively in the 2027 elections.