CDA has leased 5,438-acre land for agro-farming

Authority also retrieves 150 kanals of govt land

ISLAMABAD:

The Capital Development Authority (CDA) stated on Thursday that it has leased out 5438.02 acres of land for agro-farming so far. In a written response to a question raised in the Senate, the interior ministry said the government has received Rs1238.192 million in revenues from these lands as of yet.

The lands have been allotted for the purpose of growing vegetable, poultry and orchard farming, it added. The total time period of the lease was set at 33 years, which can be extended once or twice for 33 years each, it further noted.

CDA retrieves govt land

The CDA also retrieved 150 kanals of government land during an anti-encroachment operation against land mafia in Jabatili, a spokesperson shared. Land mafia was involved in construction on 300 kanals of state-owned land and illegal buying and selling of it, he added.

The authority conducted a mega operation in Jabatili to retrieve government lands wherein various buildings were demolished, he maintained, adding that land grabbers had constructed homes, boundary walls, commercial buildings and shades for animals on the land.

The official mentioned that the group was constructing new buildings on the land while buying and selling of buildings was also under way. However, the enforcement department of CDA conducted a grand operation and retrieved it from the land grabbers. To protect the retrieved land, CDA will be planting trees on site, he added.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 5^th, 2021.