Punjab fails to maintain BBMB staff quota, 2.5K posts vacant

Punjab has failed to maintain its quota of employees in the BBMB, with more than half of the 4,800 positions allotted to it in the power and irrigation wings currently lying vacant.

According to official sources, 2,550 positions in different categories have fallen vacant over the years, which could not be filled due to the delay in clearing names by the state government.

The revelation comes as the cash-strapped state is embroiled in a tussle over the sharing of the Sutlej and Beas waters with Haryana.

Punjab, which bears 60 per cent of the BBMB budget, has objected to the board’s decision to release extra water to Haryana. It had earlier asked the board to give account of its expenditure, alleging “misuse” of funds provided by it.

A source said due to the vacancies, Punjab had been “losing control over the vital organisation”, while partner states such as Haryana and Rajasthan had been promptly filling posts allotted to them.

According to the data accessed by The Tribune, of the 2,891 lower-rung positions (Class III and IV) in the irrigation wing allotted to the state, 1,669 are vacant.

At present, only 1,188 Punjab employees are working in the wing in Class III and IV positions. Of late, 34 employees from other states were adjusted in the state quota.

When it comes to higher positions in Class I and II groups, Punjab has been allotted 152 of 312 positions. The positions that fall in the category include that of the Superintending Engineer and Executive Engineer. However, the state has failed to clear names for 84 positions.

Similar is the case in the power wing of the board. Of the 1,672 allotted to the state in the Class III and IV groups, 1,316 are vacant, with the strength of Punjab employees standing at 326.

In the power wing, under the said category, 30 employees from other states have been adjusted against the Punjab quota. When it comes to posts of senior engineers, the state has been allotted 151 of the 345 positions. However, 29 posts of the Punjab cadre are still vacant.

Another source said Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann had been apprised of the prevailing situation. The source said Punjab officials were working on restructuring their Irrigation and Power Departments to spare employees for posting in the BBMB.