Punjab News:Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema Directs Departments to Fast-Track Contractual Engagement of Eligible Outsourced Employees
*Bhagwant Mann Govt Pushes Time-Bound Transition of Outsourced Employees Under 2026 Law: Harpal Singh Cheema*
*28 Group D Posts for Visually Impaired Candidates Under Recruitment, Backlog Vacancies to Be Cleared: Harpal Singh Cheema*
*No Administrative Delays in Transitioning Eligible Outsourced Workers to Contractual Jobs: Harpal Singh Cheema*
*Finance Minister Chairs Crucial Rounds of Meetings with 10 Different Employee Unions & Fronts to Settle Key Demands*
Reaffirming the Bhagwant Mann government’s commitment to employee welfare, Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema directed all the state government departments to immediately wrap up formalities and forward eligible cases to the Personnel Department to transition outsourced employees to direct contractual engagement in a time-bound framework.
Chairing high-level discussions with the Enlistment Outsourcing Coordination Committee, Minister Harpal Singh Cheema, who also heads the Cabinet Sub-Committee tasked with resolving employees’ grievances, said “The directions aim to ensure seamless implementation under the Punjab State Outsourced Personnel (Transition to Contractual Engagement) Act 2026.”
He engaged with ten different employee unions and united fronts. He underscored that administrative bottlenecks must not delay the legal transition of eligible workers into direct contractual roles with the state government.
During deliberations with employee representatives from the Transport Department, Finance Minister Cheema reviewed the status of their standing demands and issued directives to department officials to accelerate their settlement. In a subsequent interaction with the CPF Karamchari Union, the Finance Minister offered categorical assurances, stating, “The state administration is actively working toward a favorable and prompt resolution of their issues.”
Addressing the deputation from the National Federation of the Blind, the Finance Minister apprised the members, “The official recruitment process to fill 28 vacant Group D posts reserved for visually impaired candidates is already underway. I guarantee that existing backlog vacancies across other job groups would be cleared concurrently during upcoming recruitment drives for the respective posts.”
Engaging with 4 distinct unions representing the Education Department, the cabinet minister patiently heard each delegation and assured that the majority of their core demands are already in the pipeline for swift administrative approval.
Responding to the representations submitted by the Gram Panchayat Jal Supply Pump Operators Association regarding minimum daily wages, the Finance Minister instructed the department concerned to draft and submit a formal proposal without delay.
During the meetings, Varinder Singh Momi, Ramandeep Singh, Pawandeep Singh, Jagdeep Singh, Lashman Singh, Harjinder Pal Singh, Jaspreet Singh and Jatinder Singh Bhangu from the Enlistment Outsourcing Coordination Committee; Resham Singh Gill, Shamsher Singh, Harkesh Kumar, from Punbus/PRTC Contract Workers’ Union Punjab (25/11); Harminder Singh and Lakhwinder Singh from Punjab Roadways (PUNBUS) State Transport Worker Union; Jagjeevan Kaur and Veerkaran Singh from 3704 Adhiyapak Union; Tajinder Kaur and Harman Singh from AIE Kache Adhiyapak Union; Parveen Sharma and Deepak Nagpal from Mid Day Meal Daftri Karmchari; Vikas Sahini and Lakhwinder Kaur from Murh Bahal Kache Adhiyapak Union; Balwinder Singh, Gurpreet Singh, Jaswant Singh, Parminder Singh and Kamaljeet Singh from National Federation of the Blind; Beant Singh, Harpreet Singh and Sahib Singh from Gram Panchayat Jal Supply Pump Operators Association; and Sukhjit Singh Dimpi, Jarnail Singh Aujla, Gurmail Singh Virk, Dharminder Singh and Ranbir Singh from CPF Karamchari Union presented their issues and concerns during the meetings.