LAHORE, April 21: Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi directed the authorities concerned on Wednesday to grant ownership rights to the landless tillers, receiving 12.5 acres of government land for cultivation. He also directed them to take action against those encroaching upon public property and distribute the recovered land among the poor farmers.

Presiding over a meeting, the chief minister said the grant of ownership rights was necessary for giving a sense of confidence to the landless tillers. He directed the officials concerned to ensure the provision of fertilizers, seeds and water to such farmers because the basic purpose of distributing the government land, worth Rs3 billion, was to involve them in agriculture.

The chief minister said the land belonging to the irrigation, forests, agriculture, livestock and other departments had been identified for distribution among the landless farmers.

Mr Pervaiz said under the five-marla scheme, one million people would be given residential facility. The government had started giving free land initially to 600,000 people in 16 districts, he said.