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.
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. 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.
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. 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.
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. 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. Different sections of society will be connected with service-oriented activities as part of the campaign, it said.
He also alleged that industries were leaving Punjab, raising concerns over the state’s economic prospects. Saini claimed that around 3.25 lakh Punjab government employees were still awaiting their earlier dearness allowance (DA) dues. 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.
