Punjab Minister Dhaliwal orders removal of encroachments from panchayat lands

Punjab Minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal on Thursday directed officials to ensure the removal of encroachments from all government panchayat lands by June 10.

Last year, around 9,400 acres of government panchayat lands were freed from illegal possession and this drive should be accelerated this year, he said. Dhaliwal directed the state's District Development and Panchayat Officers (DDPOs) that apart from court-related cases, all other encroachments should be removed.

According to an official statement, 469 acres of government panchayat lands have been freed from encroaches so far this year.

Dhaliwal was presiding over a meeting of all DDPOs of the state here.

He said Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has unequivocally directed all departments to provide a transparent and corruption-free administration to the people.