Punjab Moves to Stabilize Employment for Over 65,000 Workers

The Punjab Cabinet has decided to dismantle the long-standing contractual employment system and grant regular status to more than 65,000 employees across multiple departments, providing job security and benefits. New bills will support this transformation, with faster regularization for high-risk workers.

The Punjab government has approved a plan to transition over 65,000 contractual employees to regular status, aiming to end the state's decades-old reliance on temporary contractual employment. This move, announced by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, seeks to establish direct employment relationships and improve job security for thousands of workers.

The cabinet approved the repeal of a 2016 act governing temporary employment, introducing bills for transitioning outsourced workers into contractual roles. Certain employees, particularly those in hazardous positions, will become elegible for regular posts sooner. The reform targets various departments like education, health, and transport, impacting thousands of workers.

In addition to job regularization efforts, the cabinet will address pending compensation matters related to revised pay and pension arrears. It also plans to open special courts to expedite corruption case resolutions, enhancing administrative transparency and integrity.