Punjab rural dept to farm on unauctioned panchayat land

The Punjab rural development department has decided to carry out farming on any shamlat (panchayat) land that goes unauctioned.

In a meeting with the district officers on Friday, rural development and panchayat minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal said the decision has been taken to put an end to malpractices, such as people deliberately trying to get shamlat land on lease at lower rates than the fixed price.

The minister said it has also come to his knowledge that in some cases, open bidding of shamlat land was not allowed due to the conspiracy by some people, and later they started farming by illegally occupying the vacant land. He said clear instructions have been issued to the district officers to complete the annual lease process of panchayat lands through open bidding within a week.

Dhaliwal also directed the authorities not to give shamlat land on lease to anyone below the minimum rate fixed by the government. Earlier, the officers informed the minister that 1.5 lakh acres of Panchayat land is annually given on lease, and about 50% has been leased for this year so far. Taking a serious note of the slow pace, Dhaliwal issues directions to complete the process within seven days (by June 10) and also warned of departmental action against those who fail to do it.

Gram sabhas on June 15

Dhaliwal also released the programme for gram sabhas to be hold in all villages of the state between June 15 and 26.

Three-state level seminars on the “role of gram sabha in rural development” would be held on June 11, 12 and 13, he said. “It’s mandatory for the sarpanch to attend the gram sabha session. Action will be taken against the non-participants,” he said.