Punjab cabinet okays new tehsils, land revenue reforms | Chandigarh News

Chandigarh: The Punjab cabinet on Monday approved the upgrade the sub-tehsils of Banur in Mohali and Hariana in Hoshiarpur to full tehsils. It also decided to modernise land revenue administration through amendments to Land Revenue Act and extended relief to special teacher educators serving under national program for school education, Samagra Shiksha.After the meeting, Punjab minister Hardeep Singh Mundian said the decision to upgrade the sub-tehsils will ease access to administrative services for citizens and reduce the need for long-distance travel for routine official work. “People of 40 villages in Mohali often complained of delays. Similarly, Bhunga sub-tehsil falls in a forest area in Hoshiarpur and locals covered long distances to get work done,” said Mundian, adding that the decision had been taken in larger public interest to ensure faster and more convenient service delivery.The cabinet also approved amendments to Punjab Land Revenue Act, 1887, concerning the appeals process. Changes are aimed at reducing unnecessary litigation, saving time for litigants, and preventing avoidable harassment of non-litigants. Mundian said the ‘Mera Ghar Mere Naam’ card will be particularly beneficial for NRIs and will bring down land disputes. The scheme has been already launched to give property rights to people who are living in houses that are situated within the Lal Dora and cities. Around 12,700 villages will be covered under this scheme.The amendments will also give legal sanctity to digital records and digital signatures, strengthening citizen-friendly, paperless record-keeping and improving transparency in land administration.The cabinet noted that the Punjab govt already launched the e-services portal to simplify land-related procedures. Through this platform, citizens can apply online for Khangi Taqseem (family partition) by submitting basic details through a simple, single-click process. This initiative will help streamline land demarcation, resolve disputes amicably, facilitate buying and selling of land, enable timely compensation for crop damage, and make it easier to obtain Jamabandi copies.Age Relaxation for Special Teacher EducatorsThe cabinet also approved a one-time relaxation in the upper age limit for contractual ‘special teacher educators’ working under Samagra Shiksha Abhiyaan to enable their regularisation in the department of school education. The decision will ensure continuity of inclusive education for children with special needs by retaining trained and experienced educators. The cabinet clarified this measure will not place any additional financial burden on the state exchequer, said an official spokesperson.