Punjab to Conduct First-Ever Caste-Based Socioeconomic Survey from April 1: CM Mann

• Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann announced the state's first caste-based socioeconomic survey starting April 1 for equitable development and targeted policymaking.
• The survey will assess living standards of all communities while maintaining full confidentiality, deploying 28,000 enumerators with a budget of Rs 250 crore.
• Mann highlighted significant rural development achievements, including Rs 3,847 crore spent in four years, nearly double the previous period, on infrastructure, drinking water, and sanitation.
• Key initiatives include developing 3,000 rural playgrounds, constructing 500 modern Panchayat buildings, and establishing 251 village libraries.
• The state generated Rs 1,842.78 crore revenue from leasing Panchayat land, approved 76,000 houses for rural families, and spent Rs 5,146 crore under MGNREGA, creating jobs for 8.96 lakh people.