In a major announcement, the Punjab Cabinet, led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, has approved the release of ₹14,000 crore in pending dues for state employees and pensioners. The decision was made during a cabinet meeting held at the Punjab Civil Secretariat-1 under the Chief Minister’s leadership.
According to the Chief Minister’s Office spokesperson, approximately 3 lakh employees and 3 lakh pensioners will benefit from this relief. The cabinet has approved the release of revised salary/pension and leave encashment arrears from January 1, 2016, to June 30, 2022, along with pending DA/DR arrears from July 1, 2021, to March 31, 2024. The ₹14,000 crore payout will be disbursed in phases, providing crucial financial support to the beneficiaries.
Creation of 60,000 Government and Private Sector Jobs
The cabinet has approved the establishment of 22 new Lok Adalats (People’s Courts) under the Punjab State Legal Services Authority, creating new positions to support the judicial system. Additionally, three new posts—Assistant Director, Senior Assistant, and Sevadar—will be created for the newly formed Malerkotla district.
To curb tax evasion, the cabinet has sanctioned the creation of 476 new posts in the Tax Department and approved the renaming of inspector roles to “State Taxation Officer.” The Excise Department will also recruit 53 drivers on a regular basis.
In the field of education, the cabinet has approved amendments to the eligibility criteria for Physical Training Instructors (PTI) in the Primary Education Department, paving the way for the recruitment of 2,000 PTI teachers across the state.
Improvement in Healthcare Services
To enhance healthcare services, the cabinet has approved the creation of 822 Group-C cadre posts in the Health and Family Welfare Department. Additionally, 97 new positions will be created at Dr. B.R. Ambedkar State Institute of Medical Sciences in SAS Nagar to improve the institution’s operations and service delivery.
50,000+ Job Opportunities for Youth through Industrial Projects
The Punjab government is setting up an Integrated Manufacturing Cluster (IMC) in Rajpura as part of the Amritsar-Kolkata Industrial Corridor (AKIC) project. To facilitate this, the cabinet has granted stamp duty, registration fee, and other concessions to the Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV), “NICDC Punjab Industrial Corridor Development Corporation Limited.”
The project aims to boost local business and attract global investment, creating approximately 32,724 jobs in the industrial sector and 14,880 jobs in non-industrial sectors.
