On Friday, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann announced a drive will be launched from June 1 to take action against illegal occupation on government lands.
The drive will be launched to free all the illegally occupied government lands. CM Mann has set a deadline for all the illegal occupants asking them to vacate themselves by May 31.
Meanwhile Punjab Rural Developement and Panchayat Minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal on Thursday ordered all the District Development and Panchayat Officers (DDPO) of the state to free all the illegally encroached government panchayat lands across the state by June 10.
Dhaliwal stated that last year during the first phase of the drive to clear the illegal encroachments, a total of around 9,400 acres of government lands were freed. While, in the second phase he said 469 acres of lands were freed from illegal possession.
He further added directing that the lands, whose matter is in the court, apart from that all other government panchayat lands should be cleared from possession by June 10.
While addressing a meeting of the DDPOs of the state, Dhaliwal said Chief Minister Mann has given a clear direction for all departments of the the state for providing a transparent and corruption-free administration to the state.
Dhaliwal directed the officers that following the chief minister’s order, no recommendation of any political leader or any influential personality should be entertained during the process of bidding of the land and it should be done in a completely transparent manner.
The Minister said that a minimum amount of Rs 15,000 is fixed for the bidding of Shamlat lands and the money to be accepted by the bidder will be in the form of cash.
He further informed that afforestation drive would be launched across the state from July 1 to put the lands into utilization, the lands which would not be given for lease.