North News
Chandigarh, December 28
The Department of Rural Development and Panchayats in Punjab has marked significant achievements in 2024, demonstrating its commitment to land reforms, education, employment, and village infrastructure. Since the launch of a campaign to reclaim encroached panchayati land in 2022, the department has successfully recovered 12,809 acres by 2024, with a market value exceeding ₹3,080 crore. According to Rural Development and Panchayats Minister Tarunpreet Singh Sond, approximately 6,000 acres of the reclaimed land were leased, generating ₹10.76 crore in annual income for 2024-25. Additionally, the department auctioned 1.36 lakh acres of Shamlat land for ₹469 crore and raised ₹93.90 crore by leasing livestock markets through e-auctions.
Aligning with Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann’s vision, the department launched the Rural Library Scheme in 2024, starting in Issru (Khanna). On August 15, the Chief Minister inaugurated the first library, engaging with local schoolchildren. Currently, 114 rural libraries are operational, with 179 more underway.
Panchayat elections conducted in 2024 saw 3,044 panchayats elected unanimously. Financial aid for welfare projects in these panchayats was also announced, bolstering grassroots democracy.
The department facilitated loans worth ₹94.35 crore for self-help groups and spent ₹983.98 crore under the MGNREGA scheme during 2024-25, generating 2.15 crore person-days of employment for an average of 7.02 lakh rural families.
In 2024, the department planted 95.03 lakh saplings, developed 2,461 sports grounds, and continued work on 1,623 additional grounds. Solid and liquid waste management initiatives are also underway to enhance village aesthetics.
Under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Gramin), 5,166 houses were built this year at a cost of ₹62 crore, with plans to complete 18,000 houses by the financial year-end. The department aims to construct 25,000 additional houses in 2025-26, supported by a fresh beneficiary survey launched in November 2024.
Minister Sond highlighted these accomplishments as pivotal steps in improving the quality of life in Punjab’s rural areas, with a strong focus on sustainability, community engagement, and economic empowerment.
