the Cabinet approved several public welfare and administrative reforms.
Punjab Cabinet Launches Major Reforms: 2,458 BBMB Posts, Healthcare Hiring & Historic Initiatives
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has cleared a series of major administrative and developmental reforms aimed at strengthening the state’s governance, social welfare systems, water rights and healthcare services. The most significant decision is the creation of a separate service cadre of 2,458 employees for postings on the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB)—a longstanding demand that is linked to Punjab’s water and power rights.
For years, nearly 1,784 of Punjab’s 3,043 quota posts in BBMB remained vacant, forcing the board to fill these positions with employees from Haryana and Himachal Pradesh. Despite Punjab contributing 60% of BBMB’s operational expenses, representation from the state continued to decline. With the new cadre, employees will be recruited exclusively to serve in BBMB. It will allow Punjab to restore its influence over the critical body that regulates water and power supply from the Bhakra-Nangal and Beas projects.
The decision also comes amid friction between the AAP government and the Centre over issues such as “CISF’s takeover of dam security” and the Centre’s proposal to grant “permanent membership” to Himachal Pradesh and Rajasthan in the BBMB—a move Punjab terms a threat to its constitutional riparian rights.
Alongside this, the Cabinet approved several public welfare and administrative reforms. A major highlight is the recruitment of “311 nurses”, with “400 more nurses already in the hiring pipeline”, strengthening healthcare institutions across the state. Recently, the government also completed the recruitment of “800 doctors”, including over “175 specialists”, marking one of Punjab’s largest healthcare hiring drives.
Further, the Cabinet revived 16 Child Development Project Officer (CDPO) posts for better implementation of ICDS and welfare schemes, raised the retirement age for medical and dental faculty from 62 to 65 years, and launched the Navi Disha Scheme to provide free sanitary napkins along with menstrual hygiene awareness.
In a historic cultural move, Punjab will also hold a special Vidhan Sabha session on November 24 at Anandpur Sahib, commemorating the 350th martyrdom day of Guru Tegh Bahadur.
