Govt wants to give land to landless people of Cholistan: Basharat

LAHORE : Minister Parliamentary Affairs Raja Basharat has said the Punjab government wants to provide land to all the landless families of Cholistan.

A meeting of the Governing Body of Cholistan Development Authority (CDA) was held here on Tuesday at the Civil Secretariat. Chairman Authority Minister Parliamentary Affairs Raja Basharat presided over the meeting. The CDA members MPA Dr Muhammad Afzal, Ehsanul Haque and Fauzia Abbas were also present while Commissioner Bahawalpur Raja Jahangir Anwar participated through video link. In the meeting, several important decisions were taken including considering the scheme of allotting the government land of Cholistan to the local landless people. The meeting was told that more than 64,000 applications were received for allotment, out of which 18,000 people have been declared eligible after scrutiny. Commissioner Bahawalpur said that PITB would conduct computerised balloting of 27,661 plots. Chairman CDA Raja Basharat said illegal occupation of government lands should be discouraged. He said that the Punjab government wants to provide land to all the landless families of Cholistan. “The indigenous people have the highest right on this land”, observed the chair. He directed that the candidates of category B and C land should be allotted first.

“Allotment work should be completed within one month by hiring additional staff”, he said. The governing body approved the recruitment of vacant posts in Cholistan Development Authority. It was also decided to give executive allowance to colonisation officers (Cos) serve in CDA.

The meeting approved the regularisation of 338 contract SNEs posted in CDA, while it was also decided to give 25pc additional allowance to the employees of the authority under disparity reduction policy of the government.