A massive land acquisition drive launched under the Punjab Government’s land pooling scheme has triggered unrest across dozens of villages, with the ambitious project now encountering fierce resistance from farmers, villagers, and political opponents. The move, spearheaded by the Greater Ludhiana Area Development Authority (GLADA), targets over 24,000 acres spread across 57 villages in four districts.
 
While the state envisioned urban expansion and planned development, villagers perceived the scheme as a veiled attempt to strip them of fertile agricultural land — their only source of livelihood — in exchange for uncertainty, ambiguity, and potential exploitation.
 
The contentious decision was formalized during GLADA’s 18th executive committee meeting on April 15 at the Civil Secretariat in Chandigarh. The plan sought to implement resolutions passed in the authority’s 17th meeting last year. However, rather than paving the way for seamless urban growth, the move has ignited a storm of protests, as the majority of the land identified lies in Ludhiana district, known for its rich soil and high-yield farming. The rest of the affected land falls in Moga, Ferozepur, and Nawanshahr districts.
 
The scheme, in its current form, mandated that landowners part with their agricultural holdings in exchange for a fraction of land in a future urban estate. However, glaring gaps in clarity regarding the location, size, and development timeline of these alternate plots have made villagers deeply distrustful of the process. Many fear being rendered landless or left in limbo for years while bureaucratic machinery inches forward.
 
Crucially, there is no provision to compensate for the years of income lost while awaiting possession of the developed plots — a concern that is fueling widespread agitation. Moreover, villagers argued that there has been little to no meaningful consultation with them. Key concerns regarding the potential destruction of the rural ecosystem, the impact on common village lands, and the erasure of centuries-old rural identities remain unaddressed.
 
Leaders across the political spectrum have also rallied around the villagers, amplifying their concerns. Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal, currently touring several affected villages in Ludhiana, has strongly criticized the AAP Government’s “arbitrary and developer-driven” approach to land acquisition. “This is not urban planning. This is rural destruction. The government is trying to usurp the farmers’ land under the garb of pooling,” he said, announcing a protest outside the GLADA office on May 29.
 
Manpreet Singh Ayali, senior SAD leader and Dakha MLA, has also voiced alarm over the government’s handling of the matter. “Without ensuring safeguards and consensus, this scheme is nothing short of coercion. The government cannot impose such a plan on people who are neither informed nor willing,” he said during a gathering at Bhanohar village.
 
Congress MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira echoed these sentiments and blamed the ruling AAP government for pushing through a flawed scheme without ground-level consultation. “Farmers are being misled and pressured into surrendering their land. This is a betrayal of Punjab’s agrarian ethos,” he remarked.
 
The backlash is most intense in Ludhiana district, where 44 of the 57 affected villages are located. Villagers in areas such as Dakha, Bhanohar, Pamali, Ratan, and Hasanpur are especially vocal, citing that the agricultural land earmarked for pooling is not only fertile but also essential to sustaining thousands of families.
 
Among the other affected districts, seven villages in Moga, five in Ferozepur, and one in Nawanshahr have also expressed alarm. Local farmer groups and unions, including the BKU Dakaunda and the Samyukta Kisan Morcha, have mobilized villagers, warning them that the project could become another example of land being transferred to private players under the guise of development.
 
Despite mounting pressure, the state government has defended the scheme, even as protests gain momentum and political parties gear up for confrontation. The lack of transparency, legal ambiguity, and inadequate public engagement has already turned what could have been a visionary development initiative into a lightning rod for public anger.
  
Punjab Govt Defends Land Pooling Policy, Says It’s a Game-Changer for Farmers

Amid mounting criticism from opposition parties, Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema on Thursday robustly defended the state’s newly introduced Land Pooling Policy, calling it a landmark step towards transparent, inclusive, and planned urban development.
 
Cheema dismissed allegations of coercion and land-grabbing, asserting that the policy is “100 percent voluntary” and designed to empower landowners, not displace them. “There will be no forcible land acquisition. We respect the rights and aspirations of our farmers. This is a model of partnership, not exploitation,” he said.
 
According to Cheema, the Bhagwant Mann-led Government’s policy offered unmatched economic returns for participating farmers. “Market estimates suggest that those contributing land under this scheme could receive up to 400 percent returns on their investment,” he said. Under the policy, one acre of land pooled will entitle the owner to 1000 square yards of developed residential land and 200 square yards of commercial land, potentially worth around Rs 4.2 crore — a significant leap from the Rs 1.2 crore compensation under the previous acquisition model.
 
The government will develop pooled land with modern infrastructure — roads, sewerage, water, and electricity — before returning the developed portion to the original owner. “The land’s value will appreciate drastically. Owners can use or sell it as they wish,” said Cheema, calling the policy a win-win for development and farmers.