PTC Web Desk: The Punjab Cabinet on Friday approved the establishment of a digital open university in the state on international lines, allowing students to pursue higher education entirely from home. The university will be set up under the Punjab Private Digital Open University Policy, marking a major push towards technology-driven education in the state.

The decisions were taken at a Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. Addressing the media after the meeting, Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema and Water Resources Minister Barinder Kumar Goyal shared details of the Cabinet’s resolutions.

In another significant decision, the Cabinet gave approval for setting up a new medical college at Lehra Gaga. The existing Baba Hira Singh Bhattal College will be upgraded into a medical college in a phased manner. In the initial phase, the medical college will have an intake capacity of 100 MBBS seats and will be supported by a 220-bed hospital. Hospitals at Khanauri and Moonak will also be linked with the new medical institution to strengthen healthcare services in the region.

The Cabinet also decided to adjust the entire staff of the existing college at other locations. Notably, the staff had reportedly not received salaries for the past 36 months.

To boost property auctions, the Cabinet approved a 22.5 per cent reduction in the reserve price of certain GMADA plots that had failed to attract bidders due to high base prices. On the recommendation of a three-member committee, these plots will now be re-auctioned.

The Cabinet further granted approval to the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to undertake desilting operations in the Sutlej river at sites where no private contractor showed interest. NHAI will be allowed to extract silt at a rate of Rs 3 per cubic foot.

The issue of non-availability of soil in Punjab for the under-construction Ludhiana–Ropar road project had earlier been raised by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a meeting with Chief Secretaries on December 31, 2025. The state government reiterated that fertile agricultural soil will not be used for national highway projects and that desilting of the Sutlej will be completed before the onset of the next monsoon season.

The State Technical Advisory Committee has approved cleaning of 50 sites along the Sutlej. Tenders have already been floated for 20 sites, while re-tendering is underway for 28 sites. The Punjab government aims to complete the river-cleaning work before July 1.

The Cabinet has permitted NHAI or its contractors to continue desilting operations in the Sutlej river till June 30, 2026, to address the soil shortage that has been delaying national highway projects in the state.