In a major decision aimed at strengthening Punjab’s representation in the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) and creating employment opportunities for the youth, the Punjab Cabinet, led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, on Saturday approved the Departmental Service Rules for the newly created separate cadre of employees to be posted in the BBMB.
The decision was taken at a meeting of the Council of Ministers chaired by the Chief Minister.
Disclosing this, the Chief Minister’s Office said, “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.”
However, despite having a fixed quota for different posts, Punjab’s share of positions in the 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 the creation of a separate cadre to ensure adequate representation of Punjab’s employees in the Board.
Pertinently, at a meeting of the Council of Ministers held on November 15, 2025, approval was granted for the creation of a special cadre comprising 2,452 posts for the BBMB.
The recruitment rules and other conditions of service for appointments to 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.
