Chandigarh, June 21 – The Cabinet meeting held at the Civil Secretariat under the chairmanship of Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann today approved filling up of 500 posts of various cadres in the Jail Department. Apart from this, fulfilling the long-pending demand of the industrialists of the state, a comprehensive policy for distribution and sub-division of industrial plots has been given the green signal.
The Cabinet has also approved the formulation of Punjab Fire and Emergency Services Rules, 2025 and amendments to the Punjab Labour Welfare Fund Act, 1965. Meanwhile, the Chairman of other development authorities including GMADA, GLADA, PUDA has been made the Chief Secretary instead of the Chief Minister.
After the meeting, Cabinet Ministers Harpal Singh Cheema and Tarunpreet Singh Saund while talking to the media said that the state government has approved the recruitment of 500 vacant posts of Assistant Superintendent, Warder and Matron under the direct recruitment quota to strengthen the security arrangements. In this recruitment, 29 Assistant Superintendents, 451 Warders and 20 Matrons will be recruited. This recruitment will be done by the Punjab Subordinate Services Selection Board. This recruitment will be helpful in making the functioning of the jails more efficient as well as making them safer.
Mr. Cheema said that the cabinet also approved a comprehensive policy for the distribution and sub-division of industrial plots in industrial estates under the management of PSIEC so that the land can be utilized more efficiently. This policy will meet the needs of small industrial plots, especially IT and service sectors. This will also bring new industries to Punjab and many old disputes will also be resolved.
He said that this policy is applicable to freehold plots of 1000 sq. yards or more, in which sub-division plots can be made of minimum 400 sq. yards. For this, a fee of 5 percent of the current reserve value of the original plot will be charged, which will be reduced to 50 percent for the family members or legal heirs of the deceased allottee. 
Mr. Saund said that under the said policy, it will be mandatory for those subdividing industrial plots to run an industry on that land for 5 years. After 5 years, the plant owner can do any construction on that land by taking approval from the government.
Cabinet Minister Cheema said that today, the cabinet has also approved the amendment of Rule 2-A, Rule 3-A, Rule 4 and Rule 102 of the Punjab Factory Rules, 1952 for ease of doing business. The cabinet also agreed to amend the Punjab Labour Welfare Fund Act, 1965.
Therefore, various provisions of the Act have been amended to protect the interests of the workers by making the fund more appropriate and progressive. The cabinet also gave the green signal to update the Punjab Financial Rules as these rules were made in 1984. 
Apart from this, the cabinet has also approved the amendment in Section 29 (3) of the PRTPD Act. Factories will get fire safety certificate for three to five years The Punjab cabinet today also approved the formulation of the Punjab Fire and Emergency Services (Validity of Fire Safety Certificate) Rules, 2025. 
With this, earlier the fire safety certificate had to be renewed every year in factories, but now the period of fire safety certificate in the state will be made from three to five years. Cabinet Minister Harpal Singh Cheema said that this will reduce the hassle of factory owners.