Land Allotted to 30,000 Deserving Families
The Punjab government has allocated 121,000 acres of cultivable state land to landless and deserving families under a new long-term lease programme. The initiative aims to reduce rural poverty, support small farmers, and increase agricultural production across the province.
Under the scheme, selected families will receive five acres of cultivable land in their respective areas for 20 years. The land will be leased at a symbolic annual fee of Rs 100 per acre. Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz supervised the computerised balloting process for the allotments on Monday.
The chief minister said the land, crops, hard work, and profit would belong to the farmers. She said the programme would help poor families earn a stable livelihood through agriculture.
Transparent Balloting and Financial Support
Senior Member of the Board of Revenue Nabeel Javed briefed the chief minister about the programme. He said 60,000 applications were received after the scheme was launched on April 22. These included 11,000 applications from women.
According to officials, around 29,000 people were selected through a transparent and merit-based computerised lottery. The successful applicants are expected to receive allotment letters within a week. Physical possession of the leased land is scheduled to be handed over by July 31.
The Punjab government will also provide financial support for initial cultivation. Each family will receive Rs 50,000 per acre for land preparation. The total support can reach up to Rs 200,000 per family. The agriculture department will also provide technical guidance to help farmers begin cultivation.
Focus on Poverty Reduction and Women Farmers
Officials said only families that do not own agricultural land were eligible for the scheme. The project has been designed to support landless rural workers who often depend on daily wages or tenant farming.
Agriculture remains a major part of Pakistan’s economy. It contributes more than 22 percent to the country’s GDP and employs around 37 percent of the workforce. However, land ownership remains concentrated among wealthy families, leaving millions of rural workers without farmland.
The government also highlighted women’s participation in the programme. Women made up 20 percent of successful applicants in the main ballot. In the Cholistan desert region, women accounted for 29 percent of selected applicants. Around 83,000 acres have been marked for a separate phase of land allotment in Cholistan.
The Punjab government said the lease programme would help families become self-reliant, improve food production, and strengthen rural economic activity.
