Gandapur directs to reclaim unused lands allotted for setting up industries

PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Khan Gandapur on Thursday directed the Department of Industries and the Board of Revenue to identify unutilised lands allotted for establish industries across the province and initiate necessary steps to reclaim it.

Chairing an important meeting on the lease policy, he emphasized that these lands would not be allowed to be used for any other purpose other than establishing industries.Relevant cabinet members, chief secretary, additional chief secretary, administrative secretaries and other senior officials attended the meeting, said a handout.

The meeting reviewed various matters related to the lease policy for government-owned lands, and a significant decision was made concerning the unused lands, worth billions of rupees, allocated to industries.

It was decided that all lands allotted for industrial purposes, where industries had not yet been established, would be repossessed by the government.During the briefing, it was highlighted that land had been allotted in different districts to promote industrialization and create employment opportunities in the province.

However, a significant portion of these lands remained unutilized, and no industries have been set up on them yet.Officials informed the meeting that the current market value of these lands runs into billions of rupees, and the failure to establish industries had undermined the original objective behind their allocation.

It was noted that the effective utilisation of these lands could significantly boost provincial revenues.The meeting also deliberated on matters related to leasing government lands for long-term business purposes. It was decided that the recommendations of the committee formed to propose necessary amendments to existing laws would be presented for approval in the next cabinet meeting.