Chandigarh: Punjab Housing and Urban Development Minister Hardip Singh Mundian stated on Wednesday that the budget presented by Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema will transform the cities of the state and ensure world-class facilities to urban residents, with an allocation of ₹5,983 crores for 2025-26.
Mundian noted that 40 percent of Punjab's population lives in urban areas, which is why these regions received significant boosts in the budget. He expressed gratitude to the government for key announcements made for the major cities of Punjab, especially Ludhiana. He stated that approximately 50 kilometres of world-class roads will be developed in four cities including Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Amritsar and SAS Nagar over the next year. ₹225 crores has been allocated under the Punjab Municipal Development Fund for the upgrade of road infrastructure and to ensure the uniform provision of five essential municipal services across all 166 towns and cities in Punjab: cleanliness, water supply, sewage, roads, and street lights.
Furthermore, an allocation of ₹300 crores for the Punjab Municipal Services Improvement Project (PMSIP) will enhance urban governance, financial management, and the delivery of sustainable water services to the citizens of Ludhiana. A total of 367 E-buses will be procured for Ludhiana, ensuring sustainable and accessible urban mobility across cities in Punjab, along with the development of Civil Bus Depot infrastructure in Ludhiana.
Under the Raising and Accelerating MSME Performance Scheme, the state is implementing projects worth ₹120 crores to improve market access, financial assistance, and technology adoption for small enterprises. This also includes the establishment of a Technology Extension Centre in key industrial hubs and ₹10 crores for the upgrade of the R&S Centre and the Institute of Auto Parts and Hand Tools Technology (IAHT) in Ludhiana.