Chandigarh, Nov 15: The Punjab government on Saturday approved a major restructuring within the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) by creating an exclusive cadre of employees dedicated solely to the interstate body. The decision, finalised during a Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, aims to end Punjab’s long-standing issue of unfilled quota posts in the BBMB.
Briefing reporters after the meeting, Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema said the state had faced repeated setbacks under the deputation system. “Our employees are posted to BBMB on deputation. But if their roles get cancelled, the vacancies are often filled by the board with staff from other states,” Cheema noted. “Forming a separate cadre means the personnel will be recruited only for BBMB service.”
An official statement said Punjab’s quota posts had increasingly remained unoccupied, prompting the Cabinet to authorise recruitment to 2,458 new positions in different BBMB wings. The decision comes at a time when the Mann government is locked in disputes with BBMB authorities over water distribution and deployment of CISF personnel at the Bhakra and Nangal dams.
The matter escalated last month after the AAP government accused the Centre of attempting to make Himachal Pradesh and Rajasthan permanent members of the BBMB. It termed the proposal a violation of Punjab’s “constitutional and riparian rights.” The Centre had written to the chief secretaries of Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Rajasthan seeking opinion on the membership expansion. Presently, only Punjab and Haryana enjoy permanent status.
The Cabinet also approved a comprehensive policy for PLPA de-listed lands to regulate existing structures and allow limited residential use while protecting ecological balance. The new framework sets stringent parameters: a minimum plot size of 4,000 square yards, low FAR, restricted site coverage, and permission only for G+1 constructions. Commercial activity will not be allowed under any circumstances, officials said.
Environmental safeguards form another core feature of the policy. It mandates plantation of indigenous trees, the use of eco-friendly construction materials, and installation of rainwater harvesting and solar systems.
In the legislative domain, the Cabinet gave its nod to convene the 10th (Special) Session of the Punjab Assembly at Anandpur Sahib on November 24 to commemorate the 350th martyrdom anniversary of Guru Tegh Bahadur. The session will be held at Bhai Jaita Ji.
The state also approved major hiring initiatives. The Cabinet sanctioned the recruitment of 311 nurses in the health and family welfare department, with all appointees expected to join before the first week of December. Recruitment for an additional 400-plus nurses is already in progress. Sixteen posts of child development project officers (CDPOs), lying vacant for years, were revived to strengthen social security and welfare schemes for women and children.
In another reform, the retirement age for administrative posts in the Department of Medical Education and Research was raised from 62 to 65 years. The same enhancement was approved for dental teaching faculty to address shortages in dental colleges.
The government also cleared the launch of the “Navi Dishaa Scheme,” an initiative aimed at improving menstrual hygiene by distributing free sanitary pads to adolescent girls and vulnerable women. The programme will emphasise awareness and behavioural change.
Additionally, the Cabinet approved the creation of three posts for the sports department in Malerkotla.
