Govt plans to allot state land in Cholistan to 20,000 local farmers.

LAHORE -- The Punjab government has decidAed to allot state land in Cholistan to 20,000 local farmers for cultivation in a phased programme.

Decision to this effect was taken in a meeting held under the chair of PunAjab Chief Minister Ch Parvez Elahi at his office on Friday. Special Assistant Dr Muhammad Afzal, assembly memAber Ch. Muhammad Ahsan, SMBR ZaAhid Akhtar Zaman, Principal Secretary to CM Muhammad Khan Bhatti, former principal secretary GM Sikandar and MD Cholistan Development Authority Mehr Muhammad Khalid attended the meetAing while deputy commissioner BahaAwalpur participated through video link.

The chief minister directed that a plan be devised to give government lands in the expanse of Cholistan to 20,000 loAcal farmers for temporary cultivation for a period of five years in a transparAent manner. The meeting was told that the draw for the allotment of the first phase will be conducted by the Punjab Information Technology Board while another 5,000 farmers will be allotted temporary lands in the second phase. The chief minister said that government would resolve Cholistan farmers' probAlems on a priority basis. He hoped that this initiative would boost the agri econAomy in the area. The people of Cholistan have an equal right to resources and alAlotment of lands to the landless farmers will change their future, he said.

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