*Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema Meets Employee Unions; Assures Speedy Action on Legitimate Demands*
*Bhagwant Mann Govt has already decided to regularise contractual employees: Harpal Singh Cheema*
*Departments directed to fast-track employees' grievance redressal system: Harpal Singh Cheema*
*Employee demands will be resolved on priority: Harpal Singh Cheema*
CHANDIGARH, 4th June 2026-In a major push to resolve state government employees' issues, Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema on Thursday met with six major employee unions, reassuring them that the Bhagwant Mann Government is actively processing the regularisation of contractual staff, converting outsourced workers to contractual, besides fast-tracking their all other legitimate demands.
Addressing the key demands raised by the delegation, Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema stated, “The Punjab Government led by CM Bhagwant Singh Mann has already announced its decision to regularise contractual employees and convert outsourced workers to contractual status, and the implementation process is currently underway.”
Calling for expedited action, Minister Harpal Singh Cheema directed the administrative officers of the concerned departments, along with officials from the Personnel and Finance Departments, to fast-track the process and ensure that all legitimate demands are resolved at the earliest. He said, “All concerned departments should expedite their procedures and address the genuine demands of employees in a fast-track mode.”
As the Chairman of the Cabinet Sub-Committee formed specifically to resolve employee issues, the Finance Minister held these detailed discussions with representatives from the All Punjab DST/CTS Contract Instructor Union, the Punjab Raj Sarkari Sahayata Prapt School Adhyapak ate Hor Karmchari Union, the Adarsh School Teaching and Non-Teaching Malazam Union, the Theka Mulazam Sangharsh Morcha, the Punjab Roadways/PUNBUS PRTC Contract Workers Union, and the Punjab Roadways (PUNBUS) State Transport Worker Union.
During these meetings, Kirandeep Singh Rupana, Simranjit Singh and Sawaran Singh from the All Punjab DST/CTS Contract Instructor Union, Gurmeet Singh Madnipur, Sharanjit Singh Kadimajra, and Hardeep Singh Dhindsa from the Punjab Raj Sarkari Sahayata Prapt School Adhyapak ate Hor Karmchari Union, Jasvir Singh Galoti, Suhubhdeep Kaur, Minu Bala and Manmohan Singh from the Adarsh School Teaching and Non-Teaching Malazam Union, Varinder Singh Momi, Jagroop Singh, Sher Singh Khanna, Gurwinder Singh Pannu and Pawandeep Singh from the Theka Mulazam Sangharsh Morcha, Resham Singh, Shamsher Singh, Balwinder Singh, Baljit Singh and Rajesh Kumar from the Punjab Roadways / PUNBUS PRTC Contract Workers Union, and Harminder Singh and Lakhwinder Singh from the Punjab Roadways (PUNBUS) State Transport Worker Union presented their case.
===========================================
Ravneet Singh Bittu to appear before SC Commission on June 15
Chandigarh, June 04 :The Punjab State Scheduled Castes Commission has given time to Union Minister of State for Railways Ravneet Singh Bittu to present his side on the matter of using casteist words on June 15, 2026 at 11 am.
Giving information in this regard, Chairman of Punjab State Scheduled Castes Commission Jasvir Singh Garhi said that the Commission had summoned Ravneet Singh Bittu today in the matter of using casteist words during his Dhuri visit, in which Advocate Ramandeep Singh and Advocate A.S. Barnala appeared on behalf of Union Minister of State Ravneet Singh Bittu and sought time from the Commission, which was accepted and time of June 15, 2026 has been given.
==================================================
*Within 24 hours of CM Bhagwant Singh Mann’s announcement, Punjab Govt orders drafting of law to curb arbitrary private school fee hikes*
*• Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains writes to School Education Secretary, directs department to fast-track implementation of fee reform measures*
*• Bhagwant Mann Govt committed to protecting 32 lakh students & their families from arbitrary fee hikes: Harjot Singh Bains*
*• Schools that increased fees beyond the 15% threshold over last 3 years will have to refund excess amount collected from parents: Harjot Singh Bains*
*• Private schools will not be allowed to increase fees by more than 5% annually under proposed law: Harjot Singh Bains*
*• Private schools must operate with transparency & accountability towards students and parents: Harjot Singh Bains*
CHANDIGARH, 4th June 2026:Less than 24 hours after CM Bhagwant Singh Mann announced sweeping reforms to curb arbitrary fee hikes by private schools, the Punjab Government has moved swiftly to translate the decision into law. School Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains has written to the Secretary, School Education Department, directing the immediate drafting of legislation that will regulate private school fees, enforce transparency and accountability, and protect more than 32 lakh students and their families from unjustified financial burden.
The proposed legislation will cap annual fee hikes at 5% and require schools that have increased fees beyond the prescribed 15% threshold over the last three years to refund the excess amount collected from parents. The move marks a decisive step by the Punjab Government to curb profiteering in the education sector and ensure that private schools function in the interest of students and parents rather than commercial gain.
In the order, School Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains stated, “Providing accessible and affordable education is the topmost priority of our government. More than 32 lakh students are currently enrolled in nearly 7,800 private schools across Punjab. These students and their families deserve robust protection and safeguards against arbitrary fee increases, alongside complete transparency in how these institutions operate.”
The Education Minister said the decision has been taken under the leadership of CM Bhagwant Singh Mann to firmly curb profiteering in the education sector. “The Chief Minister has decided that the ongoing profiteering by private schools must be firmly curbed. Education is a noble and sacred endeavour; it is a public good, not a commercial enterprise to be exploited for profit. This principle has been explicitly reinforced by the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India, which has repeatedly ruled that while private institutions have the right to reasonable fee structures, commercialisation and profiteering in education are strictly impermissible,” said the Minister.
Minister Harjot Singh Bains said, “To protect the interests of our citizens, the government intends to introduce a legislative framework that will ensure accountability and prevent arbitrary fee hikes. The matter is being accorded top priority and the Department has been directed to prepare a comprehensive proposal for Cabinet consideration at the earliest.”
As part of the proposed legislation, the Punjab Government will introduce a strict annual fee cap for private schools. Under the new framework, private schools will not be allowed to increase fees by more than 5% in a year.
The legislation will also provide retrospective relief to parents. Any private school that has cumulatively increased its fees by more than 15% during the last three consecutive years will be legally required to refund the excess amount collected beyond the prescribed threshold to parents.
The Bhagwant Mann Government believes that education should remain accessible and affordable for every child and that parents should not be burdened by unjustified fee increases. The proposed legislation is expected to establish a transparent and accountable regulatory framework for private schools across Punjab.
*Congress Govt Gave Private Schools Free Hand to Hike Fees*
The Congress Government in 2019 brought in provisions that gave private schools a free hand to increase fees. Schools were allowed to revise fee structures after merely disclosing the revised fees on notice boards and websites, with little effective regulatory oversight. This opened the door to arbitrary fee hikes and imposed an increasing financial burden on parents across Punjab.
The new legislation by the Bhagwant Mann Government aims to end this system, ensure greater accountability in private schools and protect students and parents from excessive fee increases.
=========================================
*AREA UNDER IRRIGATION OF THE BIST DOAB CANAL NETWORK EXPANDS BY 167% IN 2025-26: BARINDER KUMAR GOYAL*
*OVER 1.1 LAKH ACRES ADDED AND 19213 ACRES RECEIVE CANAL WATER FOR FIRST TIME*
*LONG STANDING WATER SHORTAGE ADDRESSED; IRRIGATION STRENGTHENED IN JALANDHAR SBS NAGAR KAPURTHALA AND HOSHIARPUR: BARINDER KUMAR GOYAL*
*Chandigarh; June 4:*Breathing new life into a historic lifeline, Punjab’s revival of the Bist Doab Canal is transforming fields, farms and futures across the Doaba region. In a major boost to the state’s irrigation network, the Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann led Punjab Government has revitalised the canal, resulting in a remarkable 167% increase in irrigated area of the Bist Doab Canal Network during the 2025-26 agricultural year.
Divulging further details, Water Resources Minister Sh. Barinder Kumar Goyal informed that this expansion has brought an additional 1,10,762 acres under canal irrigation, reinforcing the agrarian backbone of the region.
Considered the lifeline of Doaba, the canal has witnessed a significant restoration in water flow driven by targeted interventions under the leadership of Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann, said the Cabinet Minister, adding that these efforts have strengthened irrigation by addressing long-standing water shortages in the districts of Jalandhar, SBS Nagar, Kapurthala and parts of Hoshiarpur.
Originating from the Ropar Headworks, the Bist Doab canal network, including its distributaries, minors and field channels, has undergone extensive rejuvenation. This has enabled smoother and more efficient water distribution, significantly expanding the irrigated command area.
Sh. Goyal said that a major milestone of this revival is that nearly 19,213 acres of farmland of Bist Doab Canal Network have received canal water for the first time, marking a significant shift for farmers who previously depended on erratic groundwater and rainfall.
Improved water flow has reinforced the lift irrigation system through Kathgarh lift scheme in Balachaur region. Areas such as Banga and Mukandpur in Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar and Apra, Nurmahal, Malsian, Nakodar, Adampur and Kala Sanghian in District Jalandhar have witnessed infrastructure strengthening, while restored distributaries linked to the Jalandhar branch have enhanced last-mile distribution, he added.
He said that the canal’s revival is now meeting urban water needs, with an additional 150 cusecs allocated to the Jalandhar branch to improve potable water supply to the city. This will help reduce the reliance of the Jalandhar Municipal Corporation on groundwater, promoting a more sustainable and dependable water supply system, he added.
Restoration of the Bist Doab Canal shows that Mann Government is committed to modernising irrigation systems, supporting farmers and ensuring sustainable water management, while also enhancing agricultural productivity and securing a critical resource for future generations.
More than a revival, this is a transformation that restores resilience, strengthens livelihoods and shapes a sustainable future for Punjab’s agrarian landscape, said the Cabinet Minister.