Punjab Finance Minister Advocate Harpal Singh Cheema on Thursday approved a major recruitment drive, clearing the filling of 619 vacant Multipurpose Health Worker (Female) posts in the Health Department and authorising the Industries Department to recruit 97 employees as part of efforts to strengthen public services and improve administrative efficiency.
Announcing the decision, Cheema said the recruitment of health workers would strengthen grassroots healthcare across the state, while the Industries Department would be allowed to revive key administrative and field positions to ensure uninterrupted public services.
Of the 619 health worker posts, 220 have been vacant for less than a year, 346 are promotional posts for eligible Trained Dai employees, and 53 abolished direct recruitment posts will be revived after approval from the Council of Ministers. The health workers will be appointed in the pay scale of ₹21,700–69,100 (Level-3) under the Punjab Health and Family Welfare Technical (Group-C) Service (First Amendment) Rules, 2025.
To speed up appointments, the government has shifted the recruitment process from the Punjab Subordinate Services Selection Board to Baba Farid University of Health Sciences, Faridkot, citing delays in the board’s recruitment process. The move has already received the board’s approval.
Cheema said the recruitment of 619 health workers would result in an additional annual financial burden of approximately ₹16.12 crore during the probation period.
The Finance Minister also approved a proposal allowing the Industries Department to advertise up to 97 direct recruitment posts during the current financial year.
He noted that the department had surrendered 721 of its 1,728 sanctioned posts during a restructuring exercise in 2020, reducing its workforce by around 42 per cent. He said further staff reductions could adversely affect public services and departmental functioning.
Along with permitting recruitment, Cheema directed the Industries Department to undertake a comprehensive restructuring exercise reflecting its current administrative responsibilities and submit the proposal to the Finance Department for long-term manpower planning.