Punjab Cabinet approves 19 acres for Lehragaga Medical College, Private Digital Universities Policy, GMADA reforms, and Sutlej desilting projects.
The Punjab Cabinet, led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, approved a wide range of decisions , including the approval of more than 19 acres of land at Lehragaga for the establishment of a Medical College and Hospital. This decision signaled an assertive push toward modernizing higher education, bolstering public healthcare, and providing real relief to citizens.
India’s first comprehensive Private Digital Open Universities Policy, 2026, the extension of the Amnesty Policy 2025 for plot allottees, the rationalization of GMADA property prices, the approval of desilting the Sutlej to expedite infrastructure projects, and the reorganization of Baba Hira Singh Bhattal Institute staff in government departments are among the decisions made at a meeting of the Council of Ministers presided over by the Chief Minister. These decisions reflect the government’s emphasis on healthcare expansion, education reform, infrastructure acceleration, and pro-people governance.
Approved medical college at Lehragaga
The Chief Minister informed the media following the Cabinet meeting that the Cabinet had approved the allocation of 19 acres of four Kanals land at Baba Hira Singh Bhatthal Technical College, Lehragaga, to Janhit Society for a nominal lease rent in order to establish a minority medical college by the Jain community. The medical college to be founded by the Jain community would rigorously supervise student enrollment and seat distribution in compliance with the rules and notifications periodically provided by the State Government. The Punjab government’s guidelines and regulations will be strictly followed for determining and charging the fee structure for all seat categories.
Additionally, the Cabinet determined that the trust should begin operating hospitals as soon as possible and within five years of the Memorandum of Understanding’s (MoU) completion date. The medical college would be founded and put into operation with a hospital that has at least 220 beds and can accommodate 50 MBBS seats. Within eight years of the MOU, it should be enlarged to a hospital that has at least 400 beds and can accommodate 100 MBBS seats. The goal of the action is to provide the state’s citizens with high-quality education while simultaneously positioning the state as a center for medical education.
The Punjab Private Digital Open Universities Policy, 2026 has been approved by the cabinet.
The Cabinet also approved the Punjab Private Digital Open Universities Policy, 2026, which aims to promote and regulate private digital open universities that offer online and open distance learning (ODL) programs. This will allow the state’s students to receive high-quality higher education and open up new career opportunities. The policy establishes state-level criteria for quality, accessibility, digital infrastructure, data governance, and learner protection in accordance with the UGC Regulations, 2020. This innovative approach would establish Punjab as a center for digital learning and provide access to flexible, reasonably priced higher education.
A new Digital Open University Policy has been introduced by the Punjab government, marking India’s first historic reform in higher education. In Punjab, private institutions are permitted to create totally digital universities under this strategy. Punjab is the first state in India to offer both a policy and a model in this field. Up till now, only Tripura has established a digital university without a comprehensive policy.
Given that millions of students worldwide are learning through online platforms, the policy is urgently needed. Similarly, by watching free online lectures, many of students are clearing difficult tests like JEE, NEET, and UPSC. Although the current university policy only permitted physical campuses, crores of young people in India are establishing jobs by learning via online courses and AI apps.
Due to the legal impossibility of digital-first institutions in India, students obtained formal degrees from colleges but acquired essential skills online, creating a significant gap between the two. However, the new regulation closes this gap. Students can now finish their degrees entirely from home using a laptop or mobile device, and they will be legally recognized and meet AICTE/UGC requirements. Students or professionals who are busy with life, family, or work would benefit greatly from this since they will be able to finish their degrees without having to quit their jobs, move towns, or even attend classes.
Also read: Yudh Nashian Virudh Day 314 Punjab Police Seize Drugs, Arrest 82 Smugglers
Thus, the culture of continuous learning in industries including IT, AI, business, healthcare, manufacturing, and data science will be strengthened as a New Era of Lifelong Learning and Upskilling is ushered in. State-of-the-art digital infrastructure, digital content studios, control rooms, server rooms, operations centers, and at least 2.5 acres of land will be needed to build up these digital universities. Digital content development studios, IT server rooms, learning management system (LMS) operations centers, digital examination control rooms, tech-enabled call centers, round-the-clock student support systems, and a minimum ₹20 crore corpus fund are also required for every digital university. This would guarantee that only legitimate and competent institutions apply for this, and that each approved plan will have its own law submitted in the Punjab Assembly, guaranteeing that every digital university is transparent and legally sound.
This approach is based on the successful digital colleges throughout the world, such as Western Governors University (USA), University of Phoenix (USA), Walden University (USA), Open University Malaysia, and others, which have given millions of students access to affordable, cutting-edge, high-quality education.
Punjab is currently developing the most advanced higher education ecosystem in India, which will directly benefit Punjabi students by lowering the cost of education, reducing infrastructure expenditures, offering more inexpensive tuition, and eliminating hidden charges. The degree program will include new capabilities including artificial intelligence (AI), cybersecurity, cloud computing, robotics, and business skills. These will address the main issue that students had before, which was that they received degrees from one location and actual learning from another. However, thanks to digital universities, both will now be accessible in one location, saving thousands of young people time and money by eliminating the need for travel, PG/hostel, stationery, and commuting. Due to the state government’s belief that education can no longer be limited to the four walls of classrooms, Punjab is leading the nation.
Every world-class institution is embracing AI and digital modalities, and Punjab must be the first to make this revolutionary move if India is to progress. With the implementation of this strategy, Punjab will become the country’s first hub for digital higher education and demonstrate the future of higher education in India. This strategy will usher in a new era in Punjab’s higher education and is modern, innovative, technology-driven, accessible, employment-focused, world-class, and future-oriented.
Extension of the Amnesty Policy 2025 for Plot Allottees
The Cabinet also approved the extension of the Amnesty Policy 2025 for allotted/auctioned plots under various Housing and Urban Development Department programs, which is a huge relief to the plot allottees. This will enable the Special Development Authority’s default allottees to reapply under the Amnesty Policy 2025 before the deadline of March 31, 2026, and to deposit the necessary funds within three months after the Special Development Authority’s approval. Before the deadline, which is March 31, 2026, the allottee who wishes to receive the benefit under this policy must file an application.
Green light to rationalize GMADA real estate costs
According to the assessment provided by the independent evaluators, the Cabinet also approved lowering the rates of certain GMADA (Greater Mohali Area Development Authority) properties as part of another pro-people move. The rules for e-auctions pertaining to setting reserve prices for different residential, commercial, institutional, and industrial properties, among others, have been modified by the government. To determine the rates of such sites, it has been decided that development authorities would choose three independent valuers who have been hired by the Income Tax Department and nationalized banks.
Also read: AAP MLA Kuldeep Dhaliwal Slams Punjab Congress Over Factionalism and Power Struggle
Following clearance from the appropriate authority, the average of the rates recorded by these valuers will be used as the criterion for setting the reserve price for sites that have not sold in the last two or more auctions. The rates, which will be in effect for a single calendar year, were determined after taking into account the Committee’s observations. However, the minister in charge of the department of housing and urban development must approve any need-based amendments made during the calendar year.
Permission to desilt the Sutlej River
Additionally, the Cabinet authorized NHAI (National Highways Authority of India) or its agencies to desilt the River Sutlej at locations designated by the Department of Water Resources at a cost of ₹3 per cubic foot, which is the same as the desilting contract at Siswan Dam. The approval is also subject to the additional requirement that NHAI or its contractors/agencies may only use the aforementioned price until June 30, 2026, in order to supply NHAI with simple earth for the construction of road projects, specifically those from Ludhiana to Ropar. Additionally, Nod received an exemption from Section 63 of the 2019 Punjab Transparency in Public Procurement Act.
Staff reorganization at Baba Hira Singh Bhattal Institute
Additionally, in response to open positions in the Department of Technical Education & Industrial Training and autonomous institutions under the department on deputation, the Cabinet approved the adjustment of Baba Hira Singh Bhattal Institute of Engineering and Technology staff members. The decision to protect the employees’ interests was made in the greater public interest.