CM Mann Dedicates ₹107.78 Crore Development Projects in Sunam on Shaheed Udham Singh’s Martyrdom Day

Sunam Udham Singh Wala (Punjab), July 2026 : Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Friday paid tribute to legendary freedom fighter Shaheed Udham Singh on his martyrdom day and dedicated development projects worth ₹107.78 crore to his birthplace, Sunam. The projects include an Armed Forces Preparatory Institute, a Trauma Centre, a Medicines Warehouse and a modern Blood Bank.

Addressing a state-level commemorative function, Mann said the most meaningful tribute to the martyrs who fought for India’s freedom would be to build a society based on quality education, accessible healthcare, employment opportunities and a corruption-free system. He said the Punjab government was working at the grassroots level to realise the vision of the freedom fighters.

Recalling his own association with Sunam and Shaheed Udham Singh, Mann said he had been visiting the sacred land since childhood with his father. He also recalled visiting London’s Caxton Hall in 1993, where Udham Singh had shot Michael O’Dwyer after waiting 21 years to avenge the 1919 Jallianwala Bagh massacre.

Mann said his government remained committed to fulfilling the aspirations of the martyrs and highlighted several initiatives undertaken since the Aam Aadmi Party government assumed office in 2022. He said more than 68,000 government jobs had been provided to youth strictly on merit, while 90 per cent of households in Punjab were receiving free electricity.

The Chief Minister also highlighted the government’s infrastructure push, saying around 43,000 kilometres of roads were being constructed across Punjab. He said farmers were being supplied electricity during the daytime and that nearly 14,000 kilometres of pipelines had been laid to supply around 21,000 cusecs of water to agricultural fields, resulting in an increase in canal irrigation.

Mann said recharge points had also been created in canals and rivers to improve groundwater levels. According to him, water levels had increased by two to four metres in areas covered by these initiatives.

On education, the Chief Minister claimed that Punjab had moved from 27th position when his government took office to among the leading states according to the Government of India’s education survey. He said 882 students from government schools had qualified for the NEET examination, arguing that quality education, rather than freebies, was the key to breaking the cycle of poverty.

He also highlighted the Mawan Dheeyan Satkar Yojna, under which women began receiving financial assistance from July 1. According to Mann, women are entitled to ₹1,000 per month, while women belonging to Scheduled Castes receive ₹1,500 per month. He said 32 lakh women had received the amount on July 1, while more than 40 lakh women were expected to receive the benefit on August 1.

The Chief Minister also spoke about the Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojna, under which every resident family in Punjab is eligible for cashless medical treatment of up to ₹10 lakh. He described the scheme as a major step towards universal healthcare and said people had already availed themselves of free treatment worth more than ₹650 crore.

Mann also appealed to people to protect Punjab’s communal harmony. Describing the state as a “bouquet” of different communities, he said Punjab’s strong tradition of brotherhood and fraternity must be preserved. He cautioned against attempts to spread hatred and disturb social harmony, particularly ahead of the elections.

The biggest project dedicated during the event was the Sant Attar Singh Maharaj Armed Forces Preparatory Institute, for which the foundation stone was laid at Cheema village. The institute will be developed at a cost of ₹98.68 crore on 13.42 acres, with a total covered area of 2,62,542 square feet.

The institute is aimed at preparing young people, particularly from the Malwa region, for careers in the Indian Army, Navy, Air Force and other security forces. It will accommodate 500 cadets, with separate modern hostels for 250 boys and 250 girls.

The campus will feature smart digital classrooms, an administrative block, library, study hall and a 300-seat auditorium. It will also have an open-air theatre, canteen and dining hall. Sports facilities will include basketball and volleyball courts, a swimming pool, hockey and football grounds, a squash court, modern gymnasium, parade ground and specialised physical training infrastructure.

The institute will focus on discipline, leadership, physical fitness and competitive examination preparation, with the government describing it as an initiative to create a skilled and disciplined generation capable of serving the nation.

Another major project is the Trauma Centre in Sunam, established at a cost of ₹5 crore. The facility is designed to provide emergency medical services to people from Sunam and surrounding areas, particularly during the critical “Golden Hour” following road accidents.

The centre has a 10-bed Emergency and Intensive Care Unit and will provide round-the-clock emergency services. It is equipped with ventilators, an operation theatre, digital X-ray and CT scan facilities, and will have orthopaedic specialists, surgeons, nurses and trained technicians.

A Medicines Warehouse has also been established in Sunam at a cost of ₹3.68 crore. The facility is intended to maintain adequate stocks of essential medicines and ensure uninterrupted supplies to government hospitals and Aam Aadmi Clinics in Sangrur district and neighbouring areas.

The warehouse has cold-chain and cold-storage facilities for medicines such as insulin and other temperature-sensitive drugs. It will also serve as a backup facility to ensure that medicines provided free of cost by the government remain available to patients without interruption.

The fourth major healthcare facility is a modern Blood Bank established at a cost of ₹42.19 lakh. The facility will provide blood during emergencies, surgeries, pregnancies and for children suffering from thalassemia. It has a storage capacity of 100 to 150 blood units and includes a component separator capable of separating red blood cells, plasma and platelets from a single unit of blood.

A fully automated testing laboratory has also been established to screen blood for HIV, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C and other infectious diseases, strengthening safety standards. The facility is expected to serve residents of Sunam, surrounding villages and the wider region.

Senior AAP leader Manish Sisodia and Cabinet Minister Aman Arora praised the government for dedicating the development package to Sunam on Shaheed Udham Singh’s martyrdom day. They said the projects would contribute to preserving Punjab’s heritage while improving healthcare, education and opportunities for young people.

The event was attended by senior AAP leader and Punjab in-charge Manish Sisodia, Punjab Assembly Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan, Cabinet Ministers Aman Arora, Harpal Singh Cheema, Barinder Kumar Goel and Dr Balbir Singh, among other leaders and officials.

Mann said the development initiatives represented an effort to translate the ideals of Shaheed Udham Singh and other freedom fighters into concrete measures aimed at improving the lives of ordinary people. He reiterated that strengthening education, healthcare, employment and social harmony would remain central to the government’s vision for Punjab.