The Punjab Vidhan Sabha at present unanimously handed the Punjab State Outsourced Personnel (Transition to Contractual Engagement) Invoice, 2026, paving the way in which for partaking 28,000 outsourced personnel on a contractual foundation.
The federal government, nevertheless, didn’t convey the opposite Invoice — The Punjab State Contractual Personnel Invoice — which was to offer for the regularisation of providers of those outsourced workers. Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema, who offered the Invoice within the Home, mentioned the opposite Invoice can be introduced later. He didn’t give any purpose for not tabling it.
In Could, the Punjab Cupboard had authorised each measures as Ordinances. Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann had then introduced the federal government’s intent to finish the system of contractual and outsourced employment and to convey over 65,000 personnel beneath common employment.
The 2 Ordinances have been despatched to the Punjab Governor for approval. He, nevertheless, requested the federal government to convey them as laws earlier than the Vidhan Sabha. In its assembly final week, the Cupboard cleared solely the Punjab State Outsourced Personnel (Transition to Contractual Engagement) Invoice, 2026.
Main the controversy on the Invoice, Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann mentioned all Group C and Group D outsourced workers can be introduced beneath contractual employment, and can be entitled to advantages comparable to Provident Fund, ESI and gratuity. “I’ve been pained to see how firms engaged by the federal government to offer varied providers have been exploiting these workers. That they had no rights and may very well be discharged with out discover. We’ve got determined to finish this exploitation,” he mentioned.
