Punjab Government Launches ‘Jis Da Khet, Us Di Ret’ Scheme to Empower Farmers and Regulate Mining

In an agrarian state like Punjab, where the bond between farmers and their land represents not just a livelihood but their very identity, the Punjab Government has introduced a major policy shift. The state cabinet has given the green light to the progressive scheme titled 'Jis Da Khet, Us Di Ret' (Whose Field, Their Sand), a decision designed to bring far-reaching positive changes to Punjab's socio-economic landscape. While appearing to be an administrative policy on the surface, the initiative marks a historic step toward restoring local rights over natural resources. The accumulation of thick sand deposits on farmland due to natural disasters and floods has long been a critical issue, rendering fertile lands barren and depriving farmers of upcoming sowing seasons. Previously, clearing their own fields required navigating lengthy administrative paperwork, posing a major challenge for local cultivators. Under the new policy, farmers are granted permission to extract sand from their fields within established regulatory frameworks. This measure simplifies the restoration of agricultural land, ensuring that crop cycles continue without interruption. Crucially, the scheme aims to dismantle the illegal hold of the sand mafia and introduce transparency to the mining process. Unscrupulous elements exploiting natural resources have previously caused environmental damage while driving up costs for the public. By allowing direct sand supply from agricultural fields, the role of middlemen will be minimized. This shift is expected to help regulate market rates for sand, directly benefiting citizens constructing homes by lowering overall building costs. From an economic perspective, the legal sale of sand provides farmers with a reliable supplementary income stream amid declining agricultural returns, generating local employment and strengthening the rural economy.