Chandigarh, Oct 31 (PTI) The Punjab Cabinet on Saturday approved the formation of departmental service rules for the newly created separate cadre of employees to be posted in the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB).
The decision aims to safeguard Punjab's rightful representation in the BBMB and create new employment opportunities for the youth, according to an official statement.
Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann chaired the Cabinet meeting.
"Under the provisions of the Punjab Reorganisation Act, 1966, the Bhakra Beas Management Board was constituted as a legal entity to regulate projects relating to the Bhakra and Beas dams in Punjab.
The partner states, including Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana and Rajasthan, send their officers and employees on deputation to various posts in the Board, it said.
However, despite having a fixed quota for different posts, Punjab's share of positions in BBMB has frequently remained vacant, allowing employees from other states to be posted against these vacancies.
Punjab contributes 40 per cent of the Board's finances, irrespective of the number of employees posted against its allocated share.
This situation has necessitated a separate cadre to ensure adequate representation of Punjab's employees in the Board.
Pertinently, during the Council of Ministers meeting held on November 15 last year, approval was granted for creating a special cadre comprising 2,452 posts for the BBMB.
The recruitment rules and other conditions of service for appointments against these posts have already been framed.
With the Cabinet's latest approval of the departmental service rules, the process of direct recruitment to these posts can now be initiated.
This decision will open up substantial employment opportunities for the youth of Punjab while ensuring that the state's rightful representation in the BBMB is protected and strengthened, it said.
(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)