LAHORE, Nov 11: The Punjab government has decided to sell state agriculture land leased under the wandsarkar scheme some 50 years ago to its lease holders.

The last date for the receipt of applications (for land sale) is Dec 31.

According to a spokesman of the revenue department, the scheme was introduced for the reclamation of land in Multan, Sahiwal, Jhang, Faisalabad, Muzaffargarh, Khanewal, Vehari, Pakpattan, Okara, Lodhran, Toba Tek Singh and Layyah in 1945-46. The land holdings ranged between 25 to 50 acres, with lease period extended from six to eight years. Under the agreement, the each lease-holder was bound to surrender half of the land to the government after reclaiming it.

A majority of the allottees, however, did not surrender the possession of government share and continued their cultivation even after acquiring proprietary rights of their share.

In order to check unauthorized utilization of these valuable chunks of developed state land, the provincial government led by late Ghulam Haider Wyne approved in 1992 a scheme to grant ownership of official share to the holders. But due to certain political developments in the province it could not be materialized.

The spokesman further said that under the scheme no person would be granted proprietary rights for more than 12-1/2 acres at concessional rate under these conditions:

A lessee or his legal heir(s) or sub-tenant, who is (are) eligible for purchase of land under these conditions shall exercise his/their option, in writing by Dec 31, 2002 for purchase of land under his possession. The option shall be communicated in writing to the deputy district officer (revenue) of the tehsil concerned.

A lessee who is eligible for the purchase of government share but fails to exercise option on or before the date prescribed for the purpose shall not be eligible to purchase. After the said date, possession of the land shall be resumed in favour of the state.

The sale of land shall be subject to the payment of price at the rate of Rs2,000 per production unit plus 10 per cent surcharge on account of sale by private treaty.

A down payment, 25 per cent of the price of the land, shall be deposited by the applicant within a period of six months from the date of determination of eligibility of the applicant.

The remaining amount shall be payable in six equal half yearly instalments commencing from the date of making down payment.

The instalments shall be payable on or before July 1, and Dec 31 every year.

No ‘grantee’ shall alienate by sale, mortgage, gift, will or otherwise the whole or any part of his grant before or during a period of five years after the date of execution of deed of conveyance without the previous consent in writing of the Board of Revenue, Punjab.

The land granted under these conditions shall be used for the sole purpose of agriculture and no exchange of the land so granted shall be allowed with any other state land.

Whosoever eligible to purchase under the scheme failed to give option in writing for grant of proprietary rights/purchase of land on or before Dec 31, 2002 shall be resumed by the district officer (revenue) forthwith in favour of the state and shall deemed as Baqaya Sarkar.