Chandigarh:
Punjab Cabinet Minister and AAP state president Aman Arora on Thursday said that the current land pooling policy introduced by the AAP government is based on the planning framework originally laid down by the previous Akali Dal-BJP government.

Speaking at a press conference at Punjab Bhawan, Arora called the policy a “game-changer” for Punjab, highlighting its focus on transparency, fairness, and the welfare of the public. He said the policy encourages planned and organized urban development.

The statement comes amid strong criticism of the policy from opposition parties and farmer groups. Since its launch in May, the policy has sparked political backlash. Farmer unions have announced a statewide protest starting July 30, with support from Opposition parties.

Defending the policy, the AAP government said it will lead to urban growth and provide landowners with more valuable plots in return for the land they contribute. The government plans to acquire over 65,000 acres under this initiative.

Meanwhile, the Congress and SAD (Shiromani Akali Dal) have both launched or announced multiple protests against the move.

Hitting back at the Opposition, Arora accused them of double standards. He said that during their tenure, the SAD-BJP government had issued master plans for cities like Mohali, Amritsar, Tarn Taran, and Hoshiarpur, declaring large areas for residential and commercial use, and enabling private developers to build colonies.

He further alleged that both Congress and SAD-BJP governments worked hand-in-glove with defaulting builders, which led to the rise of nearly 20,000 acres of illegal colonies in Punjab, leaving residents without essential civic facilities like sewerage.