Chandigarh: Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Wednesday lashed out at the previous governments, accusing them of never paying attention to imparting quality education to the students.

Mann also alleged that instead of imparting education, the government schools were merely mid-day meal centres during the previous regimes.

Addressing an event to hand over appointment letters to 271 newly-recruited employees, Mann claimed that earlier the sons and daughters of big leaders studied in convent schools in the hills due to which the government schools were never their thrust areas.

In stark stark contrast, Mann claimed, government schools are now being upgraded to “schools of eminence”, adding that it is a proud moment that Punjab has ranked first in the National Achievement Survey conducted by the government of India.

He also claimed that 848 students from government schools have qualified for NEET, 265 students cleared JEE mains, while 45 cleared the JEE advanced test.

Mann also claimed that they never aspired to join politics but the merciless “plundering” of the state and its people by the previous regimes forced them to take the plunge.

“These opportunist and greedy leaders ignored the state for their own vested interests due to which people ousted them and paved the way for a new regime to take charge,” Mann said.

The chief minister also said the AAP government is “working tirelessly for the development of the state and prosperity of its people”, leaving no stone unturned to achieve the goals.

Contrary to earlier times when the leaders “jeopardised” the interests of Punjab, the government today is focusing on the overall growth and prosperity of Punjab, he claimed.

Mann also said that the leaders earlier were skeptical of meeting the people, whereas his government is “working solely on the basis of their feedback”.

“Every effort will be made to safeguard the interests of the state and its people by making them an active partner in the socio-economic development of the state,” the chief minister said.

On employment, Mann claimed the AAP government gave more than 55,000 jobs to the youth during the first three years of its rule.

“The previous governments gave miniscule number of jobs to the youth at the fag end of their tenures. But ever since my first day in office, I made sure that the deserving youth get jobs due to which 55,000 of them have got government jobs”, Mann claimed.

Mann also exhorted the newly-recruited youth to become an integral part of the government, saying they should serve people with missionary zeal now.

The chief minister hoped that the new recruits will use their pens to help the needy and underprivileged sections of society.>