Politics in Chandigarh is loud. It is messy. If you spend even an hour near the Civil Secretariat, you realize that being the CM of Punjab isn't just a title; it is a relentless, 24/7 balancing act between populist promises and a treasury that is, frankly, struggling to keep up. Bhagwant Mann took the oath at Khatkar Kalan in March 2022, draped in the legacy of Bhagat Singh, promising a "Rangla Punjab" (Vibrant Punjab). But how is it actually going?
He isn’t your typical politician. He’s a former satirist. That matters. People voted for him because he spoke their language, not the polished, often elitist dialect of the traditional Akali or Congress dynasties.
The Tightrope Walk of the CM of Punjab
The debt is real. We’re talking about a state staring at a debt burden crossing ₹3.5 lakh crore. When Mann stepped into the role of CM of Punjab, he inherited a financial nightmare. Yet, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) platform was built on "guarantees." Free electricity. It’s the big one. Almost 90% of households in Punjab now get zero power bills. That is a massive win for the common man, but a massive headache for the state exchequer.
Critics say it’s unsustainable. Supporters say it’s just giving back the taxpayer's money. Honestly, the truth is somewhere in the middle. To fund these subsidies, the government has to find cash elsewhere, which often means aggressive crackdowns on illegal sand mining—a promise that has proven much harder to execute than it sounded on the campaign trail.
The "Mohalla Clinics" have actually changed the landscape. Renamed Aam Aadmi Clinics, over 800 of these centers are now operational across the state. If you visit one in a village near Sangrur, you’ll see people actually getting tested and treated without the usual harrowing wait times of civil hospitals. It’s a tangible shift in how healthcare reaches the grassroots.
Agriculture and the Rice Dilemma
Punjab is the breadbasket. You've heard that a thousand times. But the breadbasket is thirsty. The water table is plummeting. Mann has tried to push for crop diversification, encouraging farmers to move away from paddy (rice) toward moong dal or basmati.
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He offered a Minimum Support Price (MSP) on moong, which was a bold move. It didn't go perfectly. Procurement issues stalled the momentum, and many farmers retreated to the safety of wheat and paddy. It shows the limitation of being the CM of Punjab—you can have the best intentions, but if the procurement machinery at the mandis isn't greased, the policy flops.
The Law and Order Question
You can't talk about the current administration without mentioning security. It’s been a rollercoaster. The tragic murder of Sidhu Moose Wala just months into Mann’s tenure sent shockwaves globally. It wasn't just a crime; it was a PR disaster that painted the state as a playground for gangsters.
Then came the rise and fall of Amritpal Singh.
The state's handling of the radical preacher was criticized for being slow initially, but the eventual crackdown was surgical. It prevented a repeat of the 1980s chaos, which is what most Punjabis actually care about. They want peace. They want to work. They don't want the dark days back. Mann had to prove he could be tough, moving away from his "funny man" persona to a serious administrator.
The drug menace remains the elephant in the room. Despite "anti-drug" drives and specialized task forces, the "chitta" (synthetic drugs) problem is deeply structural. It's tied to unemployment and the proximity to the border. The police are making more arrests than ever, but as long as the demand exists among a frustrated youth, the supply finds a way.
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Education and the "Schools of Eminence"
Education is where Mann wants his legacy. Taking a leaf out of the Delhi model, the Punjab government has launched "Schools of Eminence." These are high-tech, well-staffed institutions meant to compete with expensive private schools.
- Upgrading infrastructure in over 100 schools.
- Sending principals to Singapore for training—a move that garnered both praise and "waste of money" accusations.
- Focusing on competitive exam prep for rural students.
It is a long-term play. You won't see the results in the next election, but you might see them in a decade when these kids enter the workforce. It's probably the most "intellectual" part of the AAP agenda in Punjab.
Industry and the Investment Pitch
Punjab has historically been ignored by big tech and heavy industry. Investors were scared of the "border state" tag and the perceived instability. Mann has been flying to Mumbai, Chennai, and even Germany to pitch Punjab as a safe bet.
Tata Steel is setting up a scrap-based steel plant in Ludhiana. That’s a big win. Sanathan Textiles is investing. But the competition from neighboring states like Haryana and Rajasthan is fierce. Haryana has the NCR advantage. Punjab has to offer something more—better ease of doing business and consistent power.
The Personal Style of Governance
Mann lives differently than his predecessors. He’s accessible. He holds "Sarkar Tuhaade Dwaar" (Government at your doorstep) camps where the entire cabinet sits in a village to solve local grievances. It’s a bit of a spectacle, sure, but it breaks the "Maharaja" image that used to define the CM of Punjab office.
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However, the opposition—the SAD and the Congress—constantly claim that Mann is a "rubber stamp" for the leadership in Delhi. They call him a "Subedar." Mann denies this vehemently, insisting all decisions are made in Chandigarh. This "remote control" narrative is his biggest political hurdle. To win a second term, he has to prove that he is his own man.
The Actionable Reality for Citizens
If you are living in Punjab or looking to interact with the government, things have shifted digitally. The "M-Sewa" app and various online portals have actually reduced the need to bribe a middleman for a birth certificate or a land record.
- For Farmers: Check the direct seeding of rice (DSR) subsidies. The government is offering ₹1500 per acre for those who opt for water-saving techniques.
- For Youth: Keep an eye on the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) and police recruitment drives. Over 40,000 government jobs have been handed out in the last two years, which is a rare stat for this region.
- For Business Owners: Look into the "Invest Punjab" single-window clearance. It’s actually functional now, reducing the red tape that used to kill startups in Ludhiana and Jalandhar.
Being the CM of Punjab in 2026 is a thankless job in many ways. You are fighting climate change, a drug epidemic, a massive debt, and a brain drain of the state's best youth moving to Canada. Mann is trying to flip the script. Whether he succeeds or ends up as a cautionary tale depends entirely on how he balances those "freebies" with actual industrial growth.
The focus must now shift from winning hearts with subsidies to building a state that can pay its own bills. Punjabis are resilient, but they are also impatient. They've seen dynasties fall; they won't hesitate to do it again if the "vibrant" promise turns out to be just another campaign slogan. The next two years will be the real test of whether a comedian can truly master the tragedy and triumph of Punjab's complex politics.
To navigate the current systems effectively, citizens should utilize the 'Sarkar Tuhaade Dwaar' camps for unresolved local issues and ensure they are registered on the 'Connect Punjab' grievance portal for documented tracking of administrative complaints. Engaging with the Agriculture Department's district offices is essential for those seeking to transition into high-value crops under current subsidy schemes.