Chandigarh, Jun 21 (PTI) Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann Saturday said the core agenda of his government has been to empower youth by integrating them into governance, and make them contribute to the socio-economic development of the state and the country.

Mann was addressing a gathering after distributing appointment letters to 281 recruits.

Also Read | ECI on Demand For CCTV Footage Of Voting Process: ‘Sharing Video Footage of Polling Stations During Voting Day Breaches Voters' Privacy, May Lead to Discrimination’.

"I stand here today to distribute job letters to 281 newly selected youth, which is a testament to my government's commitment to providing jobs in a fair and transparent manner," he said.

He said all recruitment have been made purely on merit, with candidates clearing competitive exams.

Also Read | Surat Shocker: Class 9 Boy Dies by Suicide on His Birthday While Parents Were Out To Buy Cake in Gujarat; Police Launch Probe.

He accused the previous governments, led by mostly Akali Dal or Congress, of imposing corrupt and regressive policies which jeopardised the future of the state's youth.

Many young people received jobs late because earlier governments showed no real concern for job creation, betraying the people of Punjab, he alleged.

In contrast, the CM claimed that his government recruited 54,141 people across various departments since April 1, 2022.

He said with the current batch of recruitment, this figure has now reached 54,422.

The Aam Aadmi Party leader accused the "traditional political leaders" of colluding behind the scenes for personal gains while pretending to oppose each other in public.

These leaders spit venom against one another from public stages but embrace each other at private functions, he alleged.

"In villages, people fight over political differences while the leaders attend each other's celebrations," he said. They merely played "musical chairs to loot the state every five years," he said.

Mann encouraged the youth to carve out their own identities and strive to leave a mark in society. "The sky's the limit," he said.

The CM also announced the establishment of UPSC coaching centres across Punjab.

These centres will be equipped with libraries, hostels, and other essential facilities to provide quality training for national-level competitive exams, he said.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)