Punjab plans incentive policy for teachers, doctors posted in border areas

In the past several instances have come to forte where doctors and teachers and other officials in border areas, cite pressing reasons such as ailing health of parents and such to get transferred to Mohali and surrounding districts.

Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema told The Indian Express that the CM has asked the Chief Secretary to form a committee of officials and work out a system. “Incentivising the doctors, teachers and officials, who stay put in border districts is one of the options. Now, the CS will form a committee and give suggestions. The financial implications will also be worked out,” he said.

During Capt Amarinder Singh-led Congress government, IAS officer Krishan Kumar, who was posted as Education Secretary, had formulated a policy of online transfers through automatic queue. He had made it mandatory for newly recruited teachers to be posted in border districts. The system worked well till the time he was in department. Once he was moved out, the issue of vacancies in border districts resurfaced.

“The situation is so bad that sometimes a school loses 5-teacher in a year to transfers. This affects the studies of children. It was felt that a stick policy does not work unless it is followed strictly. Hanging a carrot may work,” said an official.

Government tightens noose around charitable societies

The Punjab Cabinet has approved amendments to the Societies Registration Act, 1860 paving way for bringing the charitable societies under the RTI Act. Once implemented, all societies and organisations registered under the Societies Act will be required to re-register within one year, Industries Minister Sanjeev Arora said.

He said that only one society or institution with a particular name can be registered in a given area. Arora said that under the new Act, societies must be renewed every five years, and regular audits will be mandatory. If allegations surface against any organisation, the Registrar must complete the investigation within six months. If complaints are received about unfair elections within a society, the Registrar will conduct a transparent election process within six months.

He added that initially, the department will focus on organisations related to health and education, as many complaints have been received about schools and medical institutions. Many organisations registered as charitable have begun engaging in activities beyond their stated purpose. Institutions receiving income tax benefits cannot earn more than 10% profit of their total income. No property can be sold without approval from the Registrar; if an organisation does not function properly, its property may come under government control.

Arora said that organisations using government-associated names such as Reserve Bank, Gandhi, Anti-Terrorist, Vigilance, Anti-Corruption, etc. will not be allowed to register.

GPS on mining vehicles

To curb illegal mining, the Cabinet gave approval to a proposal to make it mandatory to install GPS systems on all vehicles transporting sand and gravel.

Cheema said that GPS installation has been made mandatory so the government can monitor real-time movement of the vehicles carrying sand. If anyone engages in illegal mining, action can be taken against them.

The Cabinet also gave approval to Punjab Minor Minerals Rules 2013 in accordance with the Punjab State Minor Minerals (Amendment) Policy, 2025. These new rules/ modifications were needed to be added/ substituted in the existing Punjab Minor Minerals Rules 2013 for allocation of mining rights to mining lease holders of crusher mining sites and landowner mining sites to be allotted in the state.

The role of the appellate authority in the Mining Department will now be handled by the Superintendent Engineer. Cheema said that the appeals related to seized illegal vehicles or other mining-related issues faced difficulties. When the Mining Department was under the Industries Department, the responsibility lay with the state geologist. However, there is no such post in the Irrigation Department, under which the Mining Department now operates. Therefore, the Cabinet has assigned this responsibility to the department’s Superintendent Engineer.