First Meeting: Punjab Cabinet Approves 25,000 Govt Jobs

Ludhiana: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government, which swept to power in Punjab with more than three-fourths majority last week, got down to the business of fulfilling its promises on Saturday.

Shortly after a 10-member ministry under CM Bhagwant Mann was sworn in by Governor Banwarilal Purohit, the Punjab cabinet met for the first time and approved 25,000 government jobs in state departments, boards and corporations.

Mann took charge two days ago.

The job vacancies — 10,000 to be created in police department, 15,000 in other departments — will be notified in a month.

“The Punjab cabinet has approved notification of 25,000 job vacancies within one month. As we promised before the election, job opportunities for our Punjab’s youth will be the topmost priority of AAP government,” Mann tweeted.

The 10 ministers who were inducted into the Punjab Cabinet all took oath in Punjabi.

The only woman in the Cabinet so far is Dr Baljit Kaur.

But for Harpal Singh Cheema and Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer, the others are first-time MLAs.

AAP won 92 seats in the 117-member Punjab Assembly, decimating Congress, Shiromani Akali Dal-BSP combine, and BJP-Punjab Lok Congress-SAD (Sanyukt) alliance.