Chandigarh: The Union Government has introduced a significant policy shift by amending the recruitment rules for top positions within the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB), effectively ending the decades-old dominance of Punjab and Haryana. Under the newly notified Bhakra Beas Management Board (Amendment) Rules, 2026, the critical posts of Member (Power) and Member (Irrigation) will now be open to officials from across India, rather than being reserved exclusively for engineers from the two agrarian states.
Since the reorganization of Punjab in 1966, a convention was followed where the Member (Power) was always from Punjab and the Member (Irrigation) was from Haryana. While the original 1974 rules did not explicitly mandate this, the practice ensured that beneficiary states maintained a direct balance in water and power management. The 2026 amendment officially shifts this to an open competitive process, requiring candidates to have an engineering degree and at least 20 years of experience, including one year as a Chief Engineer. Although the amendment notes that preference will be given to experienced candidates from Punjab and Haryana, the strict technical criteria now allow high-level professionals from any state to qualify for these roles.
The decision has triggered an immediate political firestorm in Punjab, with leaders across the spectrum viewing it as an attack on federalism and state autonomy. Senior Akali Dal leader Bikram Majithia accused Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann of failing to protect Punjab’s rights, suggesting a lack of resolve in standing up to the Centre. Meanwhile, Punjab Cabinet Minister Harjot Singh Bains slammed the move as “anti-Punjab,” arguing that local officials best understand the regional nuances of water management, especially during flood crises. He demanded an immediate rollback, calling the timing of the decision particularly unfortunate for the state’s residents.
This rule change adds to a growing list of grievances between the Punjab government and the BBMB. In May 2025, a standoff occurred when Punjab refused to comply with a BBMB order to release additional water to Haryana, and as recently as March 2026, Punjab asserted that the ownership of BBMB-occupied lands in Nangal and Talwara remains with the state. Tensions also persist over the deployment of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) at dams, with Punjab demanding that state police handle security instead. The new recruitment rules are seen by many in the state as a further erosion of local control over vital natural resources.
