MINISTER: AAP GOVT TO RESTORE GLORY OF ALL 12,560 VILLAGES

MOGA : Punjab rural development and panchayat minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal on Monday announced that after the campaign to free panchayat lands from illegal encroachment, the encroachments on the link roads and unpaved roads of the state would also be released.

He visited a progressive village Ransinh Kalan in Moga district to see the development works being carried out there.

He said the AAP government is committed to restoring the glory of all 12,560 villages of the state. He also announced that the Punjab government would contribute to the development of Ransinh Kalan village by developing a crematorium, stadium and Verka booth and assured to make all possible efforts to set up a mohalla clinic in the village.

Dhaliwal said the drive to free the panchayat lands from illegal occupation would not be stopped by any means. “The support of the people is essential for the success of this campaign,” he said. He appealed to the squatters to vacate the panchayat lands themselves. “They will be fully accommodated. Action will be taken against those who will not support the government and the administration. Most of the lands were allegedly encroached upon by politicians and government officials,” he said.

“It is a tragedy for our country that the elected representatives are not aware of their rights. That is why the Punjab government has decided that panchayats will be made aware of the Panchayati Raj Act. Similarly, the representatives of progressive panchayats like Ransinh Kalan village would be tasked to make other panchayats aware of how to develop the villages. Gram Sabha would be held all over Punjab from June 1 to June 26 in which a blueprint for the development of villages will be prepared,” he said.