In phase 2, Punjab govt to reclaim over 6,000 acres of panchayat land

In the first phase last year, 9,030 acres of land was repossessed by the department. Last year, the department identified 30,133 acres of cultivable land under illegal possession

The Punjab government has set a target of vacating 6,292 acres of illegally possessed panchayat land by June 10.

A recent survey by the rural development and panchayats department Punjab revealed that the government owns 140,441 (1.4 lakh) acres more village common (panchayat) land than what was on their records. The value of the said land runs into thousands of crore of rupees. (HT File)

“Out of this, we have already taken possession of 469 acres,” said a joint director level officer of the state panchayats department, adding that the drive was initially to start from May 1 but was delayed due to Jalandhar parliament byelection.

“We couldn’t have proceeded when the model code of conduct for the election was imposed,” said a department officer justifying the delay. The government started phase 2 of the campaign on May 15.

In the first phase last year, 9,030 acres of land was repossessed by the department. Last year, the department identified 30,133 acres of cultivable land under illegal possession.

“Nearly 7,750 acres of land kabza warrant (warrants for taking possession) have been issued of which 989 warrants have stayed. We have already taken possession of 469 acres. In total, 6,292 acres of land will be repossessed in the second phase,” said an officer in the shamlaat cell of the state rural development and panchayats department on the condition of anonymity.

“There are 16 chunks of land in different districts that are more than 100 acres. One each in Fatehgarh Sahib, Ludhiana, Mohali, Nawanshahr, two each in Patiala, Kapurthala and Gurdaspur and three each in Jalandhar and Hoshiarpur,” he said.

Addressing the media on Friday, the rural development and panchayat minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal said that if an incumbent, who has illegally encroached on the government panchayat land, vacates the possession by May 31, no legal action will be taken against them. “Also, the said tiller can take back the land on lease,” he added, informing that 3,396 acres were vacated by the farmers in the first phase.

“In the second phase, 189 acres of land has been vacated by the encroachers themselves,” the minister added. According to the minister, the agricultural land (9,030 acres) freed in the first phase has a market value of ₹2,709 crore.

A recent survey by the rural development and panchayats department Punjab revealed that the government owns 140,441 (1.4 lakh) acres more village common (panchayat) land than what was on their records. The value of the said land runs into thousands of crore of rupees.

The revelation took the total land ownership of the department to 725,571 acres. 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).

GFX

Land under illegal possession

30133 acres

Agricultural land identified last year

9030 acres

Freed last year in the first phase

6,292 acres

Target in 2nd phase

469 acres

Already freed in the second phase