New Delhi, June 11 -- The Punjab Cabinet on Wednesday approved a series of decisions covering student welfare, recruitment, infrastructure development, waste management and industrial reforms. The decisions were taken at a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann.

Among the key measures approved were free bus travel for candidates appearing in the reconducted NEET-UG examination and one attendant, recruitment of 1,013 lecturers and 156 Junior Engineers, establishment of compressed biogas (CBG) projects in Patiala and Jalandhar, amendments to civil services rules, and changes to the state's industrial policy aimed at attracting investment.

"The Cabinet has approved a number of important decisions relating to student welfare,...