Now Reading: Punjab passes bill to bring 28,000 outsourced staff under govt contract
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Punjab passes bill to bring 28,000 outsourced staff under govt contract
The Punjab Assembly on Monday unanimously passed the Punjab State Outsourced Personnel (Transition to Contractual Engagement) Bill, 2026, eliminating the decades-old outsourcing system for government workers. The first phase covers 26,000 to…
The Story in Brief
The Punjab Assembly on Monday unanimously passed the Punjab State Outsourced Personnel (Transition to Contractual Engagement) Bill, 2026, eliminating the decades-old outsourcing system for government workers. The first phase covers 26,000 to 28,000 outsourced employees in Group-C and Group-D categories engaged in essential public services.
Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said the move ends contractual exploitation and establishes a direct employer-employee relationship with the state. Beneficiaries will receive salary protection, provident fund, gratuity, ESI, maternity leave, and 10 days of casual leave annually. The 15-22% commission previously deducted by outsourcing agencies will be scrapped, with the savings passed to workers. The government will now directly contract the eligible employees.
The Indian Opinion
This is rightly hailed as a victory for labour rights, but calling it the end of all exploitation may be premature. Workers move from an outsourced contract to a direct government contract, they still lack the security of regular permanent employees. The real test will be whether the state can absorb all 28,000 smoothly without delays or budget shortfalls. Watch for how many actually get the promised benefits and whether similar moves follow in other states with large contract workforces.
Source: indiatoday.in
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
