Punjab Government Withdraws Land Pooling Policy Following Backlash from Farmer Groups and Opposition
The AAP government in Punjab, led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, has withdrawn its land pooling policy after the Punjab and Haryana High Court imposed an interim stay on its implementation.
Facing strong opposition from rival political parties and farmer organisations, the Punjab government announced the withdrawal of the land pooling policy along with all related amendments on Monday.
This decision came a few days after the Punjab and Haryana High Court ordered a four-week interim stay on the policy, citing concerns over its hasty notification and the absence of necessary Social Impact Assessment (SIA) and Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) studies.
The policy, now scrapped, aimed to acquire thousands of acres of fertile agricultural land across the state for development purposes, without conducting these crucial assessments, which led to widespread criticism and protests.
Under the policy, landowners were to receive a 1,000 square yard residential plot and a 200 square yard commercial plot in fully developed land in exchange for one acre of their agricultural land.
A press statement issued by the Principal Secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development said, “The government hereby withdraws the land pooling policy dated May 14, 2025, along with all its subsequent amendments. Accordingly, all actions such as letters of intent (LOIs) issued, registrations done, or any other related steps shall be reversed forthwith.”
On August 7, the High Court had ordered the interim stay, noting that the policy seemed to have been rushed through and that the issues concerning social and environmental impact assessments should have been addressed prior to its notification.
Despite staunch defence by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and other senior AAP leaders, the policy faced severe criticism from opposition parties such as Shiromani Akali Dal, BJP, and Congress, as well as various farmer bodies, including the Samyukta Kisan Morcha, who labelled it a “loot” aimed at dispossessing farmers of their land.
The state government had initially planned to acquire around 65,000 acres across 164 villages, including areas in Ludhiana, to develop residential and industrial zones.
