Punjab Government Launches Special Campaign to Plant Fruit Trees on Panchayati Land
Babushahi Bureau
Chandigarh, August 21, 2025: Under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, the Punjab Government has initiated a special campaign, ‘Apna Pind – Apna Bagh’, aimed at planting fruit orchards on village panchayati lands to promote horticulture and crop diversification statewide. The campaign was jointly launched today in Chandigarh by Horticulture, Defence Services Welfare and Freedom Fighters Minister Mohinder Bhagat and Rural Development and Panchayats Minister Tarunpreet Singh Sond, in collaboration with the Horticulture Department and the Rural Development and Panchayats Department.
Horticulture Minister Mohinder Bhagat said Chief Minister Mann’s vision of a ‘Rangla Punjab’ and ‘Hara Bhara Punjab’ is being advanced through this initiative. He announced that for the first three years, the orchards planted under this project will be maintained through MGNREGA, providing additional employment opportunities. After this period, the orchards will be handed over to village panchayats, with the income generated dedicated to local development. He also highlighted that fruit processing from these orchards will support the earnings of self-help groups.
In the first phase, fruit orchards will be planted on 65 acres of panchayati land across nine districts: 5 acres in Gurdaspur, 22 acres in Hoshiarpur, 2.5 acres in Jalandhar, 5 acres in Ludhiana, 15 acres in Pathankot, 2 acres in Amritsar, 4 acres in Kapurthala, 6 acres in Bathinda, and 4 acres in Malerkotla. Minister Bhagat also released a booklet detailing the campaign and encouraged panchayats to pass resolutions and approach the government to establish orchards on their lands.
Rural Development and Panchayats Minister Tarunpreet Singh Sond noted that while canal water had been underutilized in the past, the Water Resources Department is now ensuring its efficient use for irrigation under Chief Minister Mann’s guidance. He emphasized that this campaign will boost horticulture in villages, conserve underground water, and contribute to mitigating global warming. Sond urged village panchayats to embrace the initiative to strengthen rural economies and make villages greener.
The launch event was attended by senior officials, including Secretary Rural Development and Panchayats Ajit Balaji Joshi, Agriculture Commissioner Babita, Director Horticulture Shailender Kaur, Director Rural Development and Panchayats Uma Shankar Gupta, Joint Development Commissioner-cum-MGNREGA Commissioner Dr. Shena Aggarwal, Chief Conservator Mohinder Singh Saini, among others.