Chandigarh, Jun 1 (IANS): With 9,030 acres of government land, cleared from encroachments, mainly by influential farmers, the Punjab government on Thursday announced that it would intensify the drive.

After assuming the charge as Rural Development and Panchayats Minister, Laljit Singh Bhullar said the department would focus on illegally encroached upon big land chunks on priority. He directed officials to identify such chunks and submit report at the earliest.

Presiding over the maiden meeting of the officials of the department, the minister was apprised that 1,349 acres of government land has been freed from encroachment under the second phase.

Last year 9,030 acres was freed from encroachment, whose average market value is around Rs 2,709 crore.

Bhullar said Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has already announced that the government is committed to freeing the land from illegal encroachments. Influential people, who violated the rules and encroached on expensive government lands will not be spared.

The minister also asked the officials to make the MGNREGA scheme more transparent, besides adding more eligible beneficiaries under it.