In a major decision aimed at providing long-awaited relief to thousands of residents living in unauthorised colonies across Punjab, the Punjab Cabinet, under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, has approved an amendment to Rule 31 of the Punjab Apartment and Property Regulation (PAPR) Rules to simplify the regularisation process for eligible unauthorised colonies across the State.

A decision to this effect was taken during the meeting of the Council of Ministers.

Relief for Residents of Unauthorised Colonies

Sharing the details, the Chief Minister’s Office said the amendment to Rule 31 will enable the regularisation of unauthorised colonies where at least 25 per cent of the plots have already been built upon. Applications for regularisation may be submitted either by the promoter of the colony or the Resident Welfare Association (RWA).

The amended provisions will also apply to eligible colonies situated within notified Local Planning Areas and on agricultural land earmarked under Master Plans, except those falling under the Regional Plan of GMADA. The last date for submission of applications under the amended Rule has been fixed as September 30, 2026. Unauthorised colonies whose applications were rejected under previous regularisation policies will also be eligible to apply under the amended Rule.

Complete applications will be issued provisional regularisation certificates within 30 days, while all applications received under the amended Rule will be disposed of by the competent authority within six months.

For regularisation of residential and industrial colonies, a compounding fee equivalent to five per cent of the prevailing collector rate on the gross area of the colony will be payable, while commercial colonies will attract a compounding fee equivalent to 10 per cent of the prevailing commercial collector rate.

After issuance of the provisional regularisation certificate and payment of the prescribed regularisation fee, individual plot holders will become eligible to obtain regularisation certificates for their respective plots and secure approvals in accordance with the prevailing building rules. Plot holders will also be able to register their plots after depositing the prescribed regularisation fee.

Where applications are submitted by Resident Welfare Associations, the provisions of RERA will not apply. However, the promoter or the RWA will be responsible for obtaining all necessary approvals and No Objection Certificates from the competent authorities and completing pending development works within the stipulated period.

Meanwhile, Cabinet Minister Harpal Singh Cheema said the Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann-led Cabinet has decided to regularise unauthorised colonies where at least 25 per cent of the plots have already been built upon. “The Government has fixed September 30, 2026 as the last date for submission of applications. Even those unauthorised colonies whose applications were rejected under previous regularisation policies will now be eligible to apply under the amended Rule,” he said.

Punjab Finance Minister Advocate Harpal Singh Cheema has officially approved comprehensive administrative proposals aimed at significantly enhancing public service delivery and generating institutional employment through the recruitment of 619 Multipurpose Health Workers (Female) under the Department of Health and Family Welfare alongside the strategic revival of critical administrative and field positions within the Department of Industries.

Sharing the extensive details of these twin administrative clearances in a press communique issued here, the Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema said that these measures are specifically designed to reinforce grassroots healthcare delivery across Punjab and stabilise commercial administration, ensuring that essential public-facing services remain fully staffed while maintaining rigorous fiscal prudence.

Detailing the major recruitment drive within the state’s healthcare sector, Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema announced that the newly approved framework will fill 619 vacant Group-C posts of Multipurpose Health Worker (Female). The Finance Minister said that these 619 positions represent a strategic combination of direct recruitment and promotion quotas within the department.

According to the detailed breakdown provided by the Finance Minister, a total of 220 posts have been vacant for less than one year, while 346 posts are designated as promotional positions intended to elevate eligible individuals from the cadre of Trained Dai to Multipurpose Health Worker (Female).

Adding further, the Finance Minister said that 53 direct recruitment posts, which had been vacant for more than a year and were consequently abolished under the Finance Department’s standing guidelines dated June 6, 2019, will be formally revived following the necessary approval from the Council of Ministers.

Cheema said, “The health workers under this initiative will be placed in the pay scale of Rs. 21,700 – 69,100 at Level-3, in strict conformance with the newly enacted Punjab Health and Family Welfare Technical (Group-C) Service (First Amendment) Rules, 2025.

To ensure the maximum efficiency of this recruitment drive, the state government has consciously decided to remove these 619 appointments from the jurisdiction of the Punjab Subordinate Services Selection Board due to the prolonged timelines typically associated with their hiring processes. Instead, the entire recruitment process will be executed directly through Baba Farid University of Health Sciences, Faridkot, a move that has already received the formal consent and agreement of the Subordinate Services Selection Board via an official communication dated December 3, 2025.”

The Finance Minister said that filling these health sector posts will entail an additional annual financial implication of approximately Rs. 16.12 crore per annum during the mandatory probation period.

Switching to the administrative reforms in the industrial sector, Finance Minister Advocate Harpal Singh Cheema detailed that a robust proposal from the Department of Industries has been cleared to revive vital direct recruitment cadres to maintain operational efficiency. The Finance Minister brought to light that during a previous restructuring exercise conducted in the year 2020, the Industries Department surrendered a massive 721 positions out of its total 1,728 sanctioned posts, effectively downsising its entire organizational strength by 42 percent and leaving a tightly constrained total of 825 approved posts across Group A, B, and C cadres. Emphasising that further personnel reductions would inflict severe damage on public-dealing operations and ground-level service delivery, the Finance Minister said that the Department of Industries has been authorised to advertise a maximum of 97 posts during the current financial year. Alongside this recruitment permission, the Finance Minister mandated that the Industries Department must immediately undertake a comprehensive and modernised restructuring review that accurately reflects its contemporary governance roles, which must subsequently be submitted as a formal proposal to the Finance Department for long-term planning.

As schools across Punjab reopen after a month-long summer break, thousands of teachers are playing a pivotal role in ensuring that Punjab goes drug-free in the coming days.

The frontline is shifting from police stations and rehabilitation and de-addiction centres to schools and classrooms, as part of the Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann-led Yudh Nashean Virudh campaign. Through a cadre of sensitised teachers, aware principals, and safe school spaces, the Bhagwant Mann government is building a safety net around each child, providing knowledge around the dangers of drug use, skills to combat mental stress, and options for safe and anonymous reporting.

To strengthen this frontline, Punjab is investing in the people who interact with adolescents every day. With support from experts from the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, over 1,400 Heads of Schools across nine districts, particularly the border districts, have been sensitised to identify early warning signs of substance use, respond with empathy, and address mental health through a public health lens.

Capacity-building workshops have also been conducted for more than 3,000 teachers of Classes IX-XII in Amritsar. The training has yielded encouraging results, with 75% of teachers saying they felt inspired to create healthier school environments and 85% recognising the close link between adolescent substance use, stress, peer influence, and emotional challenges. The programme is now being expanded to cover all districts.

Alongside awareness for school staff, the state is also addressing one of the root causes of adolescent vulnerability, which is stress and emotional distress. A statewide Mindfulness Programme, now being rolled out across all government schools for students of Classes VI to XII, introduces a 30-minute guided session every morning comprising breathing exercises, meditation, positive affirmations, and gratitude practices to improve focus, emotional resilience, and mental well-being.

Piloted in nearly 210 government schools in Mohali, the initiative reported encouraging outcomes, with 83% of students reporting better ability to deal with difficult situations without extreme stress.

Noting the significance of the initiatives, Punjab Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Balbir Singh said, “Every child saved from addiction is a family protected and a future secured. By making schools spaces where children build their confidence, resilience and life skills, the state is laying the foundation for a much healthier and stronger society. Our objective is not merely to warn children about the dangers of drugs,” he said, adding that “but to equip them with the knowledge, strength, and informed decision-making needed to make informed choices.”

Punjab further strengthened its prevention strategy by introducing India’s first statewide evidence-based anti-drug curriculum for students of Classes IX to XII. Rolled out in August last year, the programme covers nearly eight lakh students across 3,658 schools and is delivered by over 6,500 trained teachers.

Developed in collaboration with J-PAL South Asia and behavioural scientists, the curriculum moves beyond conventional awareness campaigns. Through documentaries, quizzes, debates, and classroom discussions, students learn about addiction, peer pressure, decision-making, and practical refusal skills that help them resist substance use.

Balwinder Kaur, a teacher from a government school in Amritsar who is mentoring adolescent children as part of the state’s fight against drug abuse, said, “We are getting encouraging responses from the children who actively participate in brainstorming at the classroom and school levels. This gives us the surety that in the days to come, tomorrow’s teenagers and adolescents will remain insulated from the scourge of drugs.”

Schools are also creating safer channels for students to seek help. Anonymous tipping boxes have been installed to allow students to confidentially report concerns related to substance use without fear of stigma or reprisal.

Punjab Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains said that the various initiatives reflect the government’s unwavering focus on securing the future of Punjab’s youth. “Teachers have always played a role in the transformation of society and the CM-led initiatives against drug abuse are already bringing positive results. We have to realise that it is teamwork in which teachers or mentors play a central role.”

Punjab has already emerged as the country’s top-performing state in school education, ranking No. 1 in the National Achievement Survey and the NITI Aayog School Education System Report 2026. Today, it is setting another benchmark, showing that the fight against substance abuse begins not only with enforcement but with empathy, scientific evidence, and prevention. By placing teachers, school leaders, and classrooms at the heart of this effort, the state is building a model that seeks to protect children before addiction can take root.