Chandigarh, 10 August (H.S.): Punjab Vidhan Sabha on Monday passed The Punjab State Outsourced Personnel (Transition to Contractual Engagement) Bill, 2026. The legislation was introduced and steered through the House by Punjab Finance Minister Advocate Harpal Singh Cheema.The new law seeks to provide a secure legal framework for thousands of eligible outsourced employees working in various government departments and public sector entities. In the first phase, around 26,000 to 28,000 Group-C and Group-D workers are expected to benefit from the transition.Under the legislation, eligible outsourced personnel will move from third-party manpower agencies to direct contractual engagement with the Government of Punjab on a year-to-year basis. The move is aimed at addressing concerns related to irregular wage payments, arbitrary deductions and insecure working conditions.Speaking in the Assembly, Cheema said the government was committed to protecting workers who provide essential operational and technical services. He said removing intermediary agencies would improve transparency, ensure continuity of public services and protect the dignity of labour.The legislation lays down specific eligibility conditions for the transition. Full-time, non-seasonal workers engaged in essential public services will generally be required to have completed five years of continuous service.However, recognising the risks faced by workers in hazardous occupations, the qualifying period has been reduced to three years for personnel involved in high-voltage electricity complaint redressal, sanitation and sewer maintenance, and firefighting operations.The transition process will include verification of workers through digital and biometric attendance records, authenticated bank statements showing regular salary payments and police clearance.Dedicated departmental cadre eligibility committees, office-level screening committees and appellate authorities will be established to process applications within prescribed timelines.The Bill also provides financial safeguards for employees. Their remuneration after transition cannot be lower than their previous net take-home pay under the outsourcing arrangement and cannot fall below the applicable minimum wage under the Code on Wages, 2019.Direct government employers will also be responsible for statutory benefits, including Provident Fund, Employees’ State Insurance and gratuity, along with applicable leave benefits such as maternity and casual leave.The legislation repeals the Punjab Adhoc, Contractual, Daily Wage, Temporary, Work Charged and Outsourced Employees’ Welfare Act, 2016, from the date of enactment.A State Empowered Committee headed by the Chief Secretary will oversee implementation, conduct annual reviews and deal with specialised cadre-level appeals.Cheema said the legislation would end the exploitation of outsourced workers and create a more transparent and accountable system. Following passage of the Bill, the Punjab Government has begun steps to notify a uniform cut-off date and constitute the required administrative committees for a smooth transition across departments and public sector entities.

Hindusthan Samachar / GURSHARAN SINGH