Chandigarh: The Punjab Cupboard led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Wednesday authorised a sequence of key selections geared toward offering main reduction to college students showing within the reconducted NEET (Nationwide Eligibility cum Entrance Take a look at) examination, producing employment alternatives for youth, strengthening public infrastructure, selling sustainable waste administration and clear vitality, and additional enhancing the convenience of doing enterprise within the state.
The selections, taken throughout a gathering of the Council of Ministers chaired by CM Bhagwant Singh Mann, embody free bus journey for NEET aspirants and one attendant, recruitment of 1,013 lecturers and 156 Junior Engineers (JE), institution of moist waste-based compressed biogas tasks in Patiala and Jalandhar, and key amendments to the Industrial & Enterprise Improvement Coverage, 2026 to spice up funding and industrial progress in Punjab.
Disclosing this, the Chief Minister’s Workplace acknowledged, “The Cupboard has authorised quite a lot of vital selections referring to pupil welfare, schooling, employment era, infrastructure improvement, renewable vitality, administrative reforms and industrial progress, reaffirming the Punjab Authorities’s dedication to public welfare and financial progress.”
In a serious reduction for college students showing within the NEET UG re-examination, the Cupboard authorised free bus journey for candidates and one attendant travelling to examination centres in Punjab and Chandigarh. The NEET examination scheduled for Could 3, 2026 was cancelled and has now been rescheduled for June 21, 2026.
To facilitate college students and their attendants, Punjab Roadways, PUNBUS and PRTC buses will present free journey to and from examination centres in Punjab and Chandigarh on June 20, 21 and 22. College students will solely have to point out their admit playing cards to avail the power and no fare shall be charged from them. The monetary legal responsibility of the free journey facility shall be borne by the Transport Division and reimbursed by the Finance Division. The initiative displays the Punjab Authorities’s dedication to pupil welfare, encouraging schooling and guaranteeing reasonably priced and accessible public transport providers.
*1,013 Lecturer Cadre posts to be crammed; five-year age rest authorised*
The Cupboard additionally authorised the filling of 1,013 sanctioned vacant posts, together with backlog and newly created vacancies, within the Lecturer Cadre (Group-B) by means of the Training Recruitment Directorate. It additionally granted a one-time rest of 5 years within the higher age restrict for candidates making use of for Lecturer Cadre posts within the Faculty Training Division. The transfer is geared toward creating employment alternatives for youth and additional strengthening the standard of schooling in authorities faculties.
*156 Junior Engineer posts authorised in Public Works Division*
In one other main determination, the Cupboard authorised the recruitment of 156 Junior Engineers within the Public Works Division, together with 127 posts of Junior Engineer (Civil) and 29 posts of Junior Engineer (Electrical). The recruitment is predicted to additional streamline the functioning of the division by guaranteeing efficient planning, supervision and high quality execution of works. All posts shall be crammed by means of direct recruitment by the Punjab Subordinate Companies Choice Board (PSSSB).
*Patiala and Jalandhar to get moist waste-based CBG tasks*
To advertise sustainable waste administration and renewable vitality era, the Cupboard authorised the award of Moist Waste Based mostly Compressed Biogas (CBG) tasks of 100 TPD capability every at Municipal Company Patiala and Municipal Company Jalandhar to HPCL Renewable and Inexperienced Vitality Restricted (HPRGE) on a nomination foundation.
Punjab generates almost 4,000 tonnes per day of municipal strong waste throughout 166 City Native Our bodies. The tasks will facilitate scientific processing of moist waste, cut back landfill burden, enhance city sanitation and public well being, generate renewable vitality and natural manure, cut back methane emissions and promote a round economic system.
Punjab Civil Companies Guidelines amended to handle seniority disputes
The Cupboard additionally authorised an modification to Rule 8 of the Punjab Civil Companies (Common and Frequent Circumstances of Service) Guidelines, 1994. The modification addresses conditions the place candidates securing the identical advantage even have the identical date of start. In such circumstances, inter se seniority will now be decided on the idea of advantage, together with closing grading or proportion obtained within the minimal academic qualification prescribed for the involved publish.
*Industrial & Enterprise Improvement Coverage, 2026 amended to spice up funding*
In one other important determination geared toward additional strengthening Punjab’s industrial ecosystem, the Cupboard authorised amendments to the Industrial & Enterprise Improvement Coverage, 2026 and varied sectoral insurance policies below the Punjab Udyog Kranti initiative.
The amendments present that fiscal incentives will apply to present industrial items as a substitute of solely present MSMEs. Additionally they strengthen provisions referring to industrial clusters, analysis and improvement amenities and environment-friendly applied sciences. A one-time incentive of ₹10 lakh for the primary 50 eligible items will now embody industries attaining minimal Gold Stage ZED Certification or increased, whereas provisions referring to total incentive caps in sectoral insurance policies shall be handled as indicative and non-statutory.
The reforms are anticipated to encourage better funding, strengthen industrial progress and additional set up Punjab as one of many nation’s most engaging funding locations.
