Chandigarh, October 31, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
The Punjab Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, on Saturday approved a series of decisions aimed at improving administrative efficiency, strengthening agricultural infrastructure, safeguarding workers’ welfare and promoting scientific waste management.
The key decisions include restoring the district-level cadre of Revenue Patwaris and Kanungos, setting up a new grain market at Lehragaga, approving three sets of labour code rules and establishing a wet waste-based Compressed Biogas (CBG) project for the Mohali cluster.
District-Level Cadre of Patwaris and Kanungos to Be Restored
The Cabinet approved the Punjab Revenue Patwaris (Group C) Service (Amendment) Rules, 2026, and the Punjab Revenue Kanungos (Group C) Service (Amendment) Rules, 2026.
According to the Chief Minister’s Office, the Punjab Revenue Patwaris (Group C) Service Rules, 2023, had reduced the training period for Patwaris from one-and-a-half years to one year while retaining the district-level cadre structure and the District Collector as the appointing authority.
However, an amendment notified on March 14, 2024, transferred the appointing authority from the District Collector to the Director of Land Records, Punjab.
Subsequently, the department initiated the preparation of a common state-wide seniority list by merging district-level seniority lists. This led to legal challenges and administrative complications, particularly involving Patwaris who had opted for voluntary inter-district transfers on the condition that they would forfeit their seniority.
The state-wide seniority list undermined the effect of this seniority forfeiture, creating further difficulties in cadre management.
To address these issues and remove the administrative deadlock, the Cabinet decided to restore the district-level cadre as an administrative reform.
Under the amended rules, District Collectors will serve as the appointing authorities for Patwaris and Kanungos at the district level and maintain their respective seniority lists.
The amendments bring the framework in line with the Punjab Revenue Patwaris (Group C) Service Rules, 2023, and the Punjab Kanungos (Class III) Service Rules, 1994.
New Grain Market Approved at Lehragaga
In another decision, the Cabinet approved the transfer of 217 kanals and 14 marlas of government-owned land at Village Khandebad, Tehsil Lehragaga, in Sangrur district, to the Punjab Mandi Board for establishing a new grain market.
The land will be transferred by the Department of Revenue, Rehabilitation and Disaster Management at a Collector Rate of Rs 15 lakh per acre, involving a total consideration of Rs 4.08 crore.
The proposed grain market is expected to improve agricultural marketing infrastructure and provide greater convenience to farmers and residents of the region.
Three Labour Code Rules Approved
The Cabinet also approved three sets of rules to provide the state-level regulatory framework for implementing labour welfare and social security provisions in Punjab.
These include:
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The Code on Wages (Punjab) Rules, 2026, under the Code on Wages, 2019.
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The Punjab Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Rules, 2026, under the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020.
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The Punjab Social Security Rules, 2026, under the Code on Social Security, 2020.
The approvals are intended to facilitate the implementation of the respective labour codes in the state.
Mohali to Get Wet Waste-Based CBG Project
The Cabinet also approved awarding the Wet Waste-Based Compressed Biogas Project for the Mohali Cluster to HPCL Renewable and Green Energy Limited (HPRGE) on a nomination basis.
The project will be established at Village Samgauli in Dera Bassi, under the Municipal Corporation S.A.S. Nagar (Mohali).
The initiative aims to ensure scientific management of wet waste generated in the city and reduce the burden of waste disposal.
According to the government, the project will also contribute to a cleaner and greener urban environment and improve the quality of life of residents.
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