Punjab Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains, representing the Anandpur Sahib Assembly constituency, said the Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann-led government will soon grant ownership rights to shopkeepers, residents, and other occupants of surplus land in Nangal, Talwara, and adjoining townships.The minister’s statement came after the Punjab government, invoking the Punjab Reorganisation Act, staked claim over surplus lands of the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB), where thousands of people are facing eviction proceedings.Bains asserted that the land belongs to Punjab, not BBMB. He said the move will end decades of uncertainty for thousands of families, with the Water Resources Department already issuing formal communication to the BBMB regarding over 800 acres of such land.“Our elders gave their lands and worked with their hands so that a newly independent India could get water and electricity. They also built towns. Yet, for over 50 years, BBMB, an authority meant only to operate the project, began acting like a landlord, harassing the very people who built it,” said Bains.He recalled meeting affected families four months ago in Nangal and promising a permanent solution to their issues. “Today, that promise is being fulfilled,” he said, adding that formal notices have been served to BBMB making it clear that over 800 acres of surplus land is the property of Punjab.Bains said that BBMB has no authority to frame a lease policy for these properties. “The land was acquired from our people for the dam projects. Now that the projects have been completed, the surplus land must return to the state and ultimately to the people who have lived on it for generations,” he said.The minister further said the Mann government is framing a comprehensive policy under the Water Resources Department to grant ownership rights to all existing occupants. Eligible shopkeepers, families, and residents will receive rightful ownership by paying only legitimate charges as per stamp duty.He also noted that land for a new judicial complex in Nangal has been identified and will be developed.