Even as the crisis deepens for the Congress government in Punjab, it is trying to shift to election mode ahead of the 2022 assembly polls. Populist schemes are part of CM Charanjit Singh Channi’s arsenal to take on the challengers. On Monday, Channi announced the ‘Mera Ghar Mere Naam’ scheme to bestow proprietary rights on people living in houses within the ‘Lal Lakir’ of villages and cities. The entire exercise is supposed to be completed within two months.
Addressing the media, the chief minister said this scheme, which was earlier launched only for the residents of villages, is now being extended to eligible residents within the ‘Lal Lakir’of cities. He said the revenue department has been mandated to undertake drone survey of such residential properties both in rural and urban areas for digital mapping. Subsequently, all the eligible residents would be given the property cards (sanads) to confer proprietary rights upon them after proper identification/verification. The property card would serve the purpose of registry, enabling the beneficiaries to get loans from banks or even sell their properties.
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The CM said people living in houses in old localities (mohallas) for generations would also be covered under the scheme. NRIs occupying such residential properties in villages/cities would also be duly informed to raise objections so as to give proprietary rights to them. The CM said his government would soon bring legislation in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha to safeguard the properties of NRIs settled across the globe.
On the issue of waiving off arrears of electricity bills up to 2-kw load, the CM said everyone would get the benefit of the waiver regardless of caste, creed and religion. Out of 72 lakh consumers, nearly 52 lakh across the state would benefit, he said.
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Responding to a query regarding acute coal shortage in the country, the CM said he had already taken up this issue with the Union ministry of coal to ensure requisite supply so as to avert the impending power crisis. He assured that his government won’t let the state plunge into darkness despite scarcity of coal. No intentional power cuts would be imposed, he added.
Prominent among those who were present on the occasion included cabinet ministers Rana Gurjit Singh and Gurkirat Singh Kotli, besides MLA Madan Lal Jalalpur
