Punjab Government has launched a dedicated campaign to develop fruit orchards on village panchayati lands with the twin aim of promoting horticulture and encouraging crop diversification.
Punjab Government,The initiative, titled ‘Apna Pind – Apna Bagh’, was formally inaugurated today in Chandigarh by Horticulture, Defence Services Welfare and Freedom Fighters Minister Shri Mohinder Bhagat along with Rural Development and Panchayats Minister Shri Tarunpreet Singh Sond. The project is being implemented jointly by the Horticulture Department and the Rural Development and Panchayats Department.
While launching the campaign, Minister Mohinder Bhagat highlighted that Chief Minister Mann envisions a vibrant and green Punjab, and this step is a major stride towards that goal. He explained that the orchards created under the scheme will be maintained through MGNREGA for the first three years, generating extra employment for workers. After this period, the orchards will be transferred to the village panchayats, with their revenue directed towards local development. He also emphasized that fruit processing from these orchards will provide additional income opportunities for self-help groups.
The Minister announced that in the initial phase, orchards will be established on 65 acres of panchayati land across nine districts: 5 acres in Gurdaspur, 22 acres in Hoshiarpur, 2.5 acres in Jalandhar, 5 acres in Ludhiana, 15 acres in Pathankot, 2 acres in Amritsar, 4 acres in Kapurthala, 6 acres in Bathinda, and 4 acres in Malerkotla. On this occasion, a booklet about the campaign was also released. He added that panchayats could formally pass resolutions and request orchards to be set up on their village lands.
Rural Development and Panchayats Minister Shri Tarunpreet Singh Sond, while speaking at the event, said that canal water in Punjab had not been fully utilized earlier, but under Chief Minister Mann’s leadership, the Water Resources Department is ensuring its effective use for irrigation. He pointed out that this innovative program will not only strengthen horticulture in rural areas but also aid in groundwater conservation and climate change mitigation. He urged village panchayats to actively participate in the campaign by setting up fruit orchards, thereby boosting the rural economy and enhancing greenery in villages.
Also present on the occasion were Secretary Rural Development and Panchayats Shri Ajit Balaji Joshi, Agriculture Commissioner Ms. Babita, Director Horticulture Ms. Shailender Kaur, Director Rural Development and Panchayats Shri Uma Shankar Gupta, Joint Development Commissioner-cum-MGNREGA Commissioner Dr. Shena Aggarwal, Chief Conservator Shri Mohinder Singh Saini, along with other senior officials