Pooling Trouble: Why Punjab’s New Land Policy Faces a Growing Backlash

Punjab’s ambitious land-pooling drive – intended to free up more than 40,000 acres of farmland for new cities – has quickly become a lightning rod. Villages across Ludhiana, Mohali and other districts have passed resolutions rejecting the scheme outright. Farmers and opposition leaders alike decry what they see as a “land grab” dressed up as development. The Aam Aadmi Party government calls the policy a “farmer-friendly alternative” to slow, litigious acquisition processes. But as protests mount statewide, many Punjabis wonder: at what cost will the state’s housing dream be built?

Pooling Trouble: Why Punjab’s New Land Policy Faces a Growing Backlash: Video Explanation

What is Punjab’s Land Pooling Policy?

Introduced in May 2025, the Land Pooling Policy allows farmers to voluntarily contribute their land to urban development projects. In return, they receive a combination of developed residential and commercial plots. For instance, pooling 1 acre gives the farmer a 1000 sq yd residential plot and a 200 sq yd commercial site. Farmers are also offered ₹30,000 per acre per year for 3 years during the development period.

The government claims the policy prevents unplanned colonies, speeds up infrastructure projects, and turns farmers into stakeholders rather than victims of acquisition.

How It Differs from the Central Land Acquisition Act

The controversy largely stems from Punjab’s decision to use its Punjab Regional Town Planning and Development Act, 1995 instead of the central Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013. Key differences include:

Farmer Protests and Political Blowback

Villagers in Jalandhar, Mohali, Ludhiana and other districts have launched organized protests. Farmers claim the scheme strips them of fertile land and offers inferior returns. Some panchayats have passed formal resolutions rejecting pooling. Opposition leaders, including from SAD, Congress and BJP, have joined in, calling the policy a “land loot” by private developers and demanding a rollback.

Farmer unions argue the government’s ₹30,000 annual support doesn’t cover long delays in development, while smallholders receiving less than half an acre gain no commercial plots at all. They fear displacement without rehabilitation.

What the Government Says

The AAP-led Punjab government maintains that the policy is fully voluntary. Officials state that landowners are offered “Letters of Intent,” which can be monetized or sold before full project execution. The scheme is presented as a transparent and farmer-focused model that bypasses legal hurdles and accelerates urban planning. CM Bhagwant Mann has insisted no land will be forcibly taken.

Challenges Ahead

While the intent to modernize cities is clear, experts caution against blanket urbanization. Punjab already faces declining paddy yields, rising rural unemployment, and poor urban infrastructure planning. Critics suggest amending the policy to include:

• Better R&R (Resettlement and Rehabilitation) terms for small farmers.
• Optional cash compensation aligned with market value.
• Environmental impact studies before converting fertile land.

As protests gain momentum and legal petitions loom, the land pooling scheme may define Punjab’s political narrative in the run-up to the 2027 Assembly elections.

Conclusion

Punjab’s land pooling model was designed to reform land use and curb unregulated sprawl. But without strong consent safeguards, full compensation, or long-term planning, it risks triggering social and economic unrest. The government must now walk a tightrope between growth and grassroots anger.

Will Punjab’s farmers be stakeholders in the state’s future – or casualties of its expansion?