Land measuring 31,455 acres illegally occupied in 507 panchayats in Punjab

                Chandigarh: Land measuring 31,455 acres was 
under unauthorised occupation in 507 gram 
panchayats in Punjab, while the urban local 
bodies faced a staff shortage between 34% to 
44%, according to the annual technical 
inspection report of Panchayati Raj institutions 
for the period April 2019 to March 2022.
An audit of the ULBs revealed that user 
charges of Rs 510.56 crore on account of 
water supply and sewerage charges, house tax, 
property tax, rent from shops, and mobile 
tower 
charges were pending for recovery. The report, 
which was tabled in the Assembly on Tuesday, 
pointed out that four ULBs did not maintain 
records related to assets and available trees 
under their jurisdiction. As a result, the actual 
position of the assets and the illegal felling of 
trees could not be ascertained.
Also, there was underutilisation of funds by 
PRIs received under various centrally 
sponsored schemes, and there was a delay in 
the transfer of central finance commission 
grants. 

Source : Times of India