Punjab Rural Development & Panchayats Minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal today reiterated his government’s firm commitment to get the Government lands free from illegal possessions regardless of any person, howsoever influential he may be.The cabinet minister stated this while interacting with media persons after illegal occupation from 60 acre 4 kanal 11 marla land in village Mand Chaunta in Sahnewal sub division was cleared today. He was also accompanied by MLAs Hardeep Singh Mundian, Jagtar Singh Dyalpura, Jeevan Singh Sangowal, ADC (Rural Development) Amit Kumar Panchal, DDPO Sanjeev Kumar, besides several others.He also appreciated the efforts of District Administration Ludhiana, where a total of 121 acres (including today’s 60 acre 4 kanal 11 marla) of government land has been freed from illegal occupation till date.
The Minister also revealed that the Rural Development & Panchayats Department had freed several hundred acres of land across the state so far.He said that the 60 acres 4 kanal 11 marla land at village Mand Chaunta was under illegal occupation of 18 different persons of the same village since year 2007, when the Shiromani Akali Dal-BJP was in power in Punjab.Lashing out at previous governments both Shiromani Akali Dal and Congress for not taking any concrete steps against such illegal activities, the Minister said that now the Aam Aadmi Party Government would expedite the ongoing drive against encroachments in coming days. He said this would only be ensured by a strong ‘political will’ which the Aam Aadmi Party had already implemented.Giving details of lands being freed from illegal possessions, the Minister said that the agricultural lands would be leased for agriculture purposes as per rules besides utilizing the commercial ones for trades and construction of shops. Some of the saleable lands can be sold out to further strengthen the state exchequer, he added.
Revealing that as per the report of year 2010 there were more than 50,000 acres of government land under illegal possession, the Minister said that directions had been issued to the department to prepare fresh details up to 2021 so that requisite action could be initiated. He said that the AAP Government would urge those having illegal possession on these lands to free the lands so that these would be utilized for the development of state. He said Department was fully geared up for following all legal aspects to get these lands free. The State Government would also honour those officers/officials besides panchayats and others people for their efforts to make this drive a grand success by getting illegal possessions removed.Prominent among those present on the occasion included BDPO Gurpreet Singh Mangat, Panchayat Secretary Kamaljit Singh, Sarpanch Nirmal Singh, besides several others.