LAHORE: The Punjab government plans to regularize commercial use of agricultural land in different areas.

A meeting of the ministerial committee was held on Wednesday chaired by Punjab Local Government Minister Zeeshan Rafique, Co-Convener and Punjab Agriculture Minister Syed Ashiq Hussain Kirmani, provincial secretaries and other concerned officials attended the meeting.

During the meeting, the Project Management Unit briefed the ministerial committee on the utilisation of agricultural land during the last few decades. Expressing concern over the rapid conversion of agricultural land around cities into housing societies, the committee decided to form subcommittees that would present data from across Punjab for further deliberations.

While addressing the meeting, Punjab Local Government Minister Zeeshan Rafique said that wise use of agricultural land was also necessary to meet the growing residential needs. “One has to move towards a culture of horizontal rather than vertical construction by discouraging maximum use of land for construction purposes,” he added.

He averred that the Punjab Chief Minister wants to ensure the economical use of available land. “The committee will take measures to ensure the achievement of the targets given for this purpose,” he said and pointed out that there was a huge economic potential in the private real estate business besides employment of a large number of people was also associated with this sector. However, he added that the stability of the real estate business and the protection of agricultural land will be ensured. He made it clear that illegal housing schemes must be brought under the law umbrella.

Punjab Agriculture Minister Syed Ashiq Hussain Kirmani said that apart from cities, unapproved schemes are also being proliferated in purely agricultural areas; this situation was not only affecting agricultural production but also causing sewage water problems in the villages. Thus, he suggested that the mechanism for approval of housing schemes should be improved. “Phase-wise implementation has to be ensured by deciding in collaboration with the concerned departments,” he said, adding that measures should be taken district-wise in comparatively more commercial districts.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024