Chandigarh: In a significant move to address long-standing personnel shortages in the state’s frontier regions, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann announced on Sunday, March 22, 2026, that all newly recruited government doctors and teachers will now be required to serve a mandatory two-year tenure in border areas. The Chief Minister emphasized that these districts including Amritsar, Gurdaspur, Pathankot, Tarn Taran, Ferozepur, and Fazilka have historically suffered from inadequate healthcare and education services due to staff preferring urban postings.
To support this transition, the state government will provide special financial incentives and improved residential facilities for those serving in these challenging zones. The Chief Minister noted that the policy is part of a broader “border-first” developmental agenda, which also includes a 25% additional incentive boost for industrial units established in these districts under the newly launched Industrial and Business Development Policy 2026. “The residents of our border villages are true patriots who protect our land; they deserve the same quality of doctors and teachers as those in our cities,” Mann stated during his address.
In addition to the personnel reforms, Chief Minister Mann announced the launch of a pilot “underground project” in his native village of Satoj, located in the Sangrur district. While the specific technical details were not fully disclosed, officials indicate the project focuses on the undergrounding of high-tension electrical cables and telecommunication lines to improve safety and aesthetics in rural areas. This pilot is expected to serve as a blueprint for modernizing rural infrastructure across Punjab, starting with the Chief Minister’s home village.
The announcement comes on the heels of the Punjab Budget 2026-27, which has earmarked significant outlays for rural development and primary healthcare, including ₹351 crore for Aam Aadmi Clinics. By combining mandatory service requirements with industrial incentives and infrastructure pilots, the Mann administration aims to bridge the rural-urban divide and stimulate economic growth in previously neglected segments of the state.
