Punjab Budget session from March 21; Finance Minister to present Budget on March 26

The eight session of the 16th Vidhan Sabha will be held from March 21-28. The Budget proposals for 2025-26 will be presented by Finance Minister Harpal Cheema on March 26. The Governor’s address will take place on March 21 followed by a discussion on it.

This was decided in a meeting of the Punjab Council of Ministers chaired by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann at his official residence here this afternoon.

Addressing mediapersons after the Cabinet meeting, Cheema said the Cabinet decision would now be recommended to Governor Gulab Chand Kataria, who is authorised to officially summon the state legislature as per Article 174(1) of the Constitution.

Bring more efficiency: CM to ministers

During the Cabinet meeting, CM Bhagwant Mann advised his Cabinet colleagues to focus on the functioning of their respective departments, bring more efficiency in departmental work and implement new schemes and projects at the earliest

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Mann also told them to make people aware of the loss that will be caused to Punjab due to the delimitation of Lok Sabha seats

The Cabinet also gave a nod to exempt the memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed by the Education Department with British Council Education India Private Limited (BCEIPL) to improve English communication skills for better employability in the future from Section 63(1) of the Punjab Transparency in Public Procurement Act, 2019.

This waiver will be placed before the upcoming session of the Assembly to continue the “English for Work” course for the next two financial years, 2025-26 and 2026-27, in accordance with the terms and conditions of the MoU. The initiative benefits approximately 5,000 students across various government colleges in the state every year. The exemption will ensure the smooth running of the scheme without any obstacles and allow students to benefit from it.

In order to impart technical education to students, the Cabinet also gave nod to start ‘Hunar Sikhiya Schools’ (school of applied learning) across the state, thereby opening new vistas of employment for youth. As per the decision, 40 schools will be opened in the state at a cost of Rs 32 crore, which will impart training in trades of banking, financial services and insurance, digital design and development, beauty and wellness and healthcare sciences and services. Apart from it, three foundational courses in functional English, career foundations (professionalism, CV creation, soft skills and professional development) and technology in everyday life (writing emails, creating work plans and using digital tools) will also be introduced.

Meanwhile, the Cabinet meeting which was initially scheduled for 11 am began at 1 pm. It lasted for a little over an hour.