PANJ Foundation releases 15-yr data report on Punjab Ahead of 2027 elections
Ravi Jakhu
Chandigarh, October 8, 2026: The PANJ Foundation on Thursday released a comprehensive report examining Punjab’s socio-economic trajectory over the past 15 years, bringing together data on the state’s economy, employment, human development, crime and drugs, environment and other key sectors.
Titled ‘State of Punjab: Data Story of 15 Years’, the report was released at the Press Club, Chandigarh, by the PANJ Foundation team along with its advisors Prof Lakhwinder Singh, Prof Upinder Sawhney and Prof Aswini Kumar Nanda.
The report brings together data across successive five-year periods to present a consolidated picture of how Punjab has changed, what challenges have persisted and where significant shifts have taken place.
On the state’s economy and finances, the report examines Punjab’s growth trajectory, fiscal position, revenue, expenditure, debt and other indicators of public finances.
Prof Upinder Sawhney highlighted one of the report’s key findings, stating that salaries, pensions, interest payments and power subsidies account for more than 98 per cent of Punjab’s revenue receipts, leaving limited fiscal space for spending on areas such as education and infrastructure.
The report also examines employment trends and labour-market challenges in Punjab. Prof Lakhwinder Singh cited data showing that graduate unemployment in Punjab increased from 13.1 per cent in 2017-18 to 16.9 per cent in 2023-24, while the corresponding figure for India declined from 17.2 per cent to 13 per cent during the same period.
On crime and drugs, the report highlights that NDPS cases per head in Punjab were 4.4 times the national rate in 2022-23.
The human development section covers education, health and other indicators related to quality of life. Prof Aswini Kumar Nanda pointed out that while the number of government colleges per lakh young people in Punjab is comparable to the national average, enrolment in government colleges has declined.
The report also notes that infant mortality in Punjab fell from 28 in 2012 to 18 in 2020, but female infant mortality increased during the period.
The PANJ Foundation said the exercise was aimed at examining Punjab’s longer-term trajectory beyond short-term political cycles. By presenting data across successive periods, the report enables comparisons over time while avoiding simplistic conclusions about the relationship between political changes and outcomes.
The report identifies areas where Punjab has recorded measurable progress as well as structural challenges that have continued across different periods.
The discussion following the report’s release emphasised the need for a systematic, long-term approach to addressing Punjab’s socio-economic challenges and planning for the state’s future.
About PANJ Foundation
PANJ Foundation is a Punjab-based sub-national policy research organisation that provides research-based and evidence-backed inputs and consultations on socio-economic development. It works on institutional and policy reforms aimed at improving the ease of living for people in Punjab.