Chandigarh, Nov 15, 2025: The Punjab Cabinet on Saturday approved the creation of a separate cadre exclusively for postings in the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB), a move the government said would prevent the persistent problem of vacancies in Punjab’s quota. The decision was taken at a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann.
Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema told reporters that the new cadre would end the practice of deputing state employees to the BBMB. “At present, our employees are posted on deputation. But sometimes their assigned duties are cancelled, and those posts are then filled by the BBMB from other states,” Cheema said. “Now we will have a separate cadre for the BBMB, and the employees will only be recruited to serve in the BBMB.”
According to an official statement, Punjab had witnessed a significant number of its BBMB quota posts lying vacant over the years, forcing the board to fill them with members of its own cadre. To address this, the Cabinet approved the creation of 2,458 new posts across BBMB departments.
The decision comes amid a continuing face-off between the AAP government and BBMB authorities over issues of water sharing and security arrangements at the Bhakra and Nangal dams. The controversy deepened last month when the AAP alleged that the Centre intended to grant permanent membership to Himachal Pradesh and Rajasthan—calling it a “direct attack on Punjab’s constitutional and riparian rights.” The Centre had written to chief secretaries of Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Rajasthan seeking their inclusion on a permanent basis.
Currently, Punjab and Haryana hold permanent membership on the board, which manages water and power from the Bhakra-Nangal and Beas projects.
In other decisions, the Cabinet approved a detailed policy for lands de-listed under the Punjab Land Preservation Act (PLPA), aiming to create a transparent system for regularising existing structures and allowing low-impact residential development. The policy mandates a minimum plot size of 4,000 square yards, restricts structures to G+1, and imposes low FAR and limited site coverage. Officials said commercial activity would be completely prohibited.
The policy emphasises environmental safeguards, including compulsory plantation of native species, use of sustainable materials, and provisions for rainwater harvesting and solar installations.
The Cabinet also approved summoning the 10th (Special) Session of the Punjab Assembly at Anandpur Sahib on November 24 as part of the 350th martyrdom day anniversary of Guru Tegh Bahadur. The session will be held at Bhai Jaita Ji in the holy city.
Recruitment decisions also featured prominently in the meeting. The Council approved hiring 311 nurses in the health and family welfare department, with officials saying the new staff will join by the first week of December. Another tranche of over 400 nursing recruitments is already underway to ensure adequate staffing in government health facilities.
The Cabinet further revived 16 vacant posts of child development project officers (CDPOs) to strengthen implementation of welfare schemes for women, children, and vulnerable groups. The Cabinet also raised the retirement age for administrative posts in the Department of Medical Education and Research from 62 to 65 years. Retirement age for dental teaching faculty was likewise increased from 62 to 65 to address a shortage of educators in state-run dental colleges.
In another move, the government approved the launch of the “Navi Dishaa Scheme,” which aims to improve menstrual hygiene by distributing free sanitary napkins to adolescent girls and vulnerable women. Officials said the initiative will focus on education, awareness and behavioural change.
The Cabinet also cleared creation of three new posts for the sports department in Malerkotla.
