Daily Times

The sixth Full Board meeting of the Punjab Board of Revenue (BOR) was held under the chairmanship of Senior Member Board of Revenue (SMBR) Nabeel Javed. The meeting was attended by Member Colonies Abdul Waheed Malik, Member Taxes Zaman Wattoo, Member Consolidation Rashid Kamal-ur-Rehman, Member J-6 Saeed Ramzan, Chief Settlement Commissioner Khalid Saleem, Secretary Revenue Board Hafiz Ahmed Tariq, Secretary S&R Rana Hamid, DG PLRA Captain (R) Ikramul Haq, and other senior officials.

During the meeting, Nabeel Javed revealed that 15 agenda items were presented, including the approval of minutes from the previous Full Board meeting, the approval of auctions of government lands in various districts, an extension for the Agricultural Graduates Scheme, delays in mutation processes by revenue authorities in prohibited areas, approval for mass-level collaboration under the PLUS program, and a comprehensive review of the Land Acquisition Act 1894.

The SMBR disclosed that a total of 312 government land parcels were auctioned in different districts of Punjab, generating a revenue of Rs. 11.584 million. These lands were auctioned in Dera Ghazi Khan, Kasur, Muzaffargarh, Gujranwala, Khanewal, and Lodhran. The auction process was carried out under the supervision of BOR members, ensuring complete transparency. Successful bidders were granted allotment approvals upon depositing the full government dues.

To further enhance transparency, the SMBR directed that auction notices for government lands should not only be advertised in national newspapers but also prominently displayed on the BOR website and at the relevant tehsil offices. He stressed that bids not meeting the criteria set by the BOR should be canceled without exception.

Highlighting the achievements of the current fiscal year, the SMBR shared that the Punjab government has approved eight new schemes for the BOR, including the establishment of a Tax Department, a Tax Directorate, and an Internal Audit Wing. These initiatives aim to streamline the transparent collection of government dues across the province.

The SMBR commended the efforts of all board members for ensuring transparent and successful auctions of government land and instructed them to take strict action against illegal encroachments on government land in their respective divisions. He emphasized the importance of reclaiming encroached lands and utilizing them for the benefit of the province.

In addition, the Full Board meeting approved the auction of land owned by Pasrur Sugar Mills to recover outstanding dues.

This strategic approach by the Punjab Board of Revenue is expected to significantly enhance transparency and efficiency in the management and utilization of government lands, setting a benchmark for other provinces.