Punjab Newsline | Chandigarh
Punjab Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, held a meeting today and took several significant decisions aimed at benefiting students, job seekers, and public welfare.
In a major relief for students, the government announced that candidates appearing in the NEET examinations scheduled for June 20, 21, and 22, along with one accompanying attendant, will be allowed free travel in government buses.
Around 28,000 students from the state are expected to appear for the exam. The decision is expected to ease the financial burden on students and their families, with parents or any other relative allowed to accompany the candidate as an attendant.
On the employment front, the Cabinet approved the recruitment of 156 Junior Engineer posts in the PWD (Civil and Electrical) department. These are Group-B positions and are expected to provide significant opportunities for the youth of the state.
The government also approved a relaxation of five years in the upper age limit for 1,013 Lecturer Cadre posts in Punjab. Due to delays in recruitment over the years, many candidates had crossed the age limit. The relaxation will apply across all categories, and recruitment will be conducted in 12 subjects.
Punjab Minister Harpal Singh Cheema said that Addressing monsoon preparedness, the government decided to speed up de-silting work in canals and drains to prevent flooding during the rainy season.
The tender process has also been modified, allowing contracts to be awarded even in the case of a single bidder. Officials have been granted additional powers to ensure timely execution of these works.
