The Chief Minister's Office of Punjab announced on Thursday, 11 June 2026 that Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann will formulate a comprehensive, state-wide policy to permanently resolve the long-pending grievances of citizens who have invested their savings in unauthorised property plots across Punjab. Addressing the issue in both Punjabi and English, Mann stated that the Punjab Government will draft a policy aimed at providing lasting relief to residents of unauthorised colonies — people who, in his words, have 'invested their hard-earned savings' in plots that currently lack legal standing. The announcement was made through the official Chief Minister's Office of Punjab account on X.

Context

Unauthorised colonies are residential or mixed-use developments built on land — often agricultural — without requisite government approvals, layout sanctions, or completion certificates. Across Punjab, thousands of families have purchased plots and constructed homes in such settlements over decades, leaving them in a legal grey zone: unable to obtain formal title deeds, utility connections, or building permits through standard channels. The problem is not unique to Punjab. States such as Haryana, Delhi, and Rajasthan have at various points introduced regularisation frameworks to grant legal titles, reduce litigation backlogs, and bring informal settlements into mainstream urban planning. Mann's announcement signals that Punjab intends to pursue a similar but state-specific path.

Policy Backdrop

When the Aam Aadmi Party swept to power in Punjab in March 2022, regularisation of unauthorised colonies featured in its early governance agenda. However, a comprehensive, legally enforceable state-wide policy had not been finalised in the intervening years, leaving residents in continued uncertainty. The proposed policy, as announced, is intended to be ਸਥਾਈ ਤੌਰ 'ਤੇ ਹੱਲ ('permanently resolved') — language that suggests the government is aiming for a durable legislative or regulatory instrument rather than a one-time administrative order. The drafting process, cabinet clearance, and any required legislative steps will determine the policy's ultimate scope and enforceability.

Stakeholders and Impact

The primary beneficiaries of any such policy would be residents of unauthorised colonies spread across urban and peri-urban Punjab — a constituency that cuts across income groups, from lower-middle-class families to small investors who bought plots as long-term assets. Legal title would allow them to access formal housing finance, sell or transfer property without encumbrances, and demand civic infrastructure such as roads, drainage, and electricity connections as a matter of right. Local urban bodies, revenue departments, and town-planning authorities would be key implementing agencies. Developers and plot sellers operating in the informal market could face tighter scrutiny as part of any accompanying regulatory framework designed to prevent fresh unauthorised development.

What's Next

The immediate milestones to watch are the constitution of a drafting committee, a defined timeline for policy finalisation, and whether the measure will require an amendment to existing Punjab urban development or land-use legislation. Cabinet approval and, potentially, a legislative session would follow before the policy can be operationalised. If the Punjab Government delivers a workable regularisation framework, it could serve as a model for other states grappling with the same challenge — and would represent a significant governance milestone for the Mann administration ahead of the next electoral cycle.