Punjab Cabinet decisions: Chief secretary to be chairperson of town planning & development board
With the development, the chief secretary will give approval nod to all development projects initiated by various development authorities in the districts of the state. The chief secretary will now be the chairperson of the Board regulating the GMADA, GLADA, PDA (Patiala development Authority), BDA (Bathinda), JDA (Jalandhar), ADA (Amritsar), Anandpur Sahib Urban development Authority, Dera Baba Nanak Urban development Authority.
Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema said that the Cabinet gave its nod to amend Section 29 (3) of the PRTPD Act, on the pattern of Ahmedabad Urban Development Authority (AUDA), New Okhla Industrial Development Authority (NOIDA), Meerut, Kanpur, Lucknow and others. Earlier, the Chief Minister was chairman of the authority. Cheema said that the Chief Minister has been busy with other engagements and the work of authorities was adversely affected. Hence, the Chief Secretary has been given the powers.
He added, 'Nevertheless, all the projects, cleared by the Chief Secretary as chairman will be passed by the Chief Minister in the Cabinet.'
Meanwhile it was also decided to include departments of Revenue, industry, Water Supply & Sanitation and others in the development authorities.
Later in the evening, the government issued a statement saying that 'in a landmark decision reflecting visionary leadership, the Chief Minister has proactively decided to delegate the Chairmanship of all Urban Development Authorities to the chief secretary.
This bold reform is aimed at strengthening decentralised governance, speeding up decision-making, and empowering the administrative setup to act swiftly on ground-level issues.'
The statement added that previously, these authorities had inconsistent structures.
Now, the Cabinet has approved a uniform framework across all 8 authorities, with Deputy Commissioners and Municipal Commissioners included as members—ensuring that local matters are resolved efficiently at the authority level itself.
The decision is based on a comprehensive review of national models, where such bodies are headed by IAS officers or Ministers—not Chief Ministers—as seen in Ahmedabad, NOIDA, Kanpur, Bangalore, and others.
By delegating routine matters, the CM has ensured that strategic oversight remains focused on larger state priorities, while operational decisions are handled promptly, the statement added.
500 posts to be filled in jails
The Cabinet gave its concurrence to fill 500 vacant posts of Assistant Superintendents, Warder and Matron under direct recruitment quota in the Jails Department, Punjab. This recruitment will include 29 Assistant Superintendents, 451 Warder and 20 Matron, which will be done by Punjab Subordinate Services Selection Board, thereby helping to beef up the security in the jails. This move will act as a catalyst in further streamlining the functioning of the jails besides helping in making them safe and secure.
Ex-post facto approval
The Cabinet also gave Ex-post facto approval for the constitution of the High-Powered Cabinet Sub Committee to intensify the 'War on Drugs' program of the State of Punjab. This move will further help in day to day scrutiny of the ongoing war against drugs thereby making Punjab free from the menace of drugs and wean away the youth of state from this scourge.
Punjab fire and emergency services
The Cabinet also gave nod for Framing of Punjab Fire and Emergency Services (Validity of Fire Safety Certificate) Rules, 2025. This will enable the state Government to prescribe the per…
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