E-Paper
Anti-encroachment drive in panchayats: Punjab rural dept falls short of 2024 targets
In 2024, Punjab's panchayat department reclaimed only 585 acres of illegally occupied land, far below the 10,000-acre target, amid election disruptions.
Punjab rural development and panchayat department has only been able to free 585 acres of illegally occupied panchayat land in 2024 against a target of 10,000 acres, officials, who didn’t wish to be identified, said.
As per sources, over 90,000 acres of panchayat land is still in possession of land mafia in the state.
The official added that back-to-back elections, including Lok Sabha, panchayat, assembly by-polls and recent civic body elections, have hampered the drive.
Launched in May 2022, a total of 12,809 acres has been freed of illegal encroachments and handed over to panchayats till 2024.
“No one is serious after key officers retired or were transferred. Minister Kuldeep Dhaliwal, during his charge, personally monitored the drive through his hand-picked officers. He freed almost 10,000 acres in one year. Now, after his exit no one is serious. There are nearly 30,000 acres of identified land, but neither department officials nor political bosses have shown any impetus. Kabja warrants of nearly 7,000 acres have been taken, but no one is implementing it,” said an official requesting anonymity.
A recent survey by the rural development and panchayats department Punjab revealed that the government owns 140,441 (1.4 lakh) acres of village common (panchayat) land than what was on their records. The value of the said land runs into thousands of crore of rupees.
This land is referred to as village common land— further categorised into mushtarka malkan (common land, contributed by the land owners in all the villages for the common good during the consolidation of the 1960s) and shamlat deh (common land, which was set aside for common purpose when villages came into existence in the early 1900s and even before).
Meanwhile, the rural development and panchayat minister Tarunpreet Singh Sond in an official press release said that the total market value of 12,809 acres reclaimed since 2022 stands at ₹3,080 crore. Out of this, approximately 6,000 acres has been leased, generating an annual income of ₹10.76 crore during 2024-25.
When asked about the 2024 figures, which are way below the target, Sond said: “The drive will be further intensified in the coming days.”
The official release further said during 2024-25, the department auctioned 1.36 lakh acres of shamlat land for ₹469 crore. Similarly, revenue of ₹93.90 crore was generated by leasing livestock markets through e-auctions.
