The North News
Chandigarh, January 20
The Punjab Cabinet has approved a direct subsidy of ₹68.50 per quintal for sugarcane growers, reinforcing the state’s position as offering the highest cane price in India.The decision was taken at a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Tuesday. The subsidy will be paid directly to farmers on behalf of private sugar mills for the 2025–26 crushing season, the Chief Minister’s Office said.
Punjab’s State Agreed Price for sugarcane stands at ₹416 per quintal, an increase of ₹15 from last year. The government said the latest move would further strengthen income security for farmers.Beyond agriculture, the Cabinet cleared a series of measures spanning health, urban development and governance. It approved the creation of 1,000 additional posts of yoga trainers under the ‘CM di Yogshala’ initiative, with a budget provision of ₹35 crore planned for 2026–27.
In healthcare, the Cabinet approved the transfer of several civil hospitals and health centres, including facilities in Muktsar, Tarn Taran, Fazilka and Jalalabad, to Baba Farid University of Health Sciences. The move is aimed at improving access to specialised treatment and diagnostics.The government also cleared new directives to facilitate the transfer of municipal properties held by state departments and public sector bodies for public use, a step officials say will speed up development projects and curb misuse of land.
To support urban development, the Cabinet approved a policy allowing the sale or exchange of abandoned paths and water channels within licensed projects, and extended the validity of PAPRA-licensed projects by one year, up to December 2026.Other decisions included changes to e-auction rules for urban properties, amendments to civil service recruitment norms, and approval for collaboration with the Japan International Cooperation Agency to boost horticulture, cold-chain infrastructure and water management in Punjab.
