Chandigarh, Aug. 15 -- Three days after the urban development department announced it was withdrawing the land-pooling policy, the Punjab cabinet on Thursday formally denotified the controversial policy. This was announced after the cabinet meeting, chaired by chief minister Bhagwant Mann, in Chandigarh. On August 11, following stiff opposition from farmers and political parties, the government announced it was withdrawing the policy. The formal withdrawal was done today as it required the cabinet's approval. "The government hereby withdraws the land-pooling policy dated May 14 and its subsequent amendments," principal secretary, housing, Vikas Garg stated in the order August 11. "Consequently, all actions, such as letters of intent issued, registration done, or any other action taken thereunder shall be reversed henceforth," it added. Though the government had been vehemently defending the policy, the Punjab and Haryana high court had recently ordered an interim stay on its implementation for four weeks. "The Aam Aadmi Party has been a farmer-friendly party since the beginning. The land-pooling policy was brought for the benefit of farmers, but they did not support it. Therefore, it has been withdrawn without any delay," finance minister Harpal Singh Cheema said. The cabinet also approved the creation of the post of "panchayat development secretary" by merging the cadres of panchayat secretaries and gram sewaks (village development officers). It also approved amendments to the Punjab Cooperative Societies Act, 1961. The cabinet granted ex-post facto approval for the formation of a group of ministers (GoM) to ensure the smooth procurement of kharif and rabi crops during the procurement seasons. The cabinet also granted approval for the formation of a cabinet sub-committee to review and consider the recommendations made by the committee of officers regarding Parts 2 and 3 of the 6th Punjab Pay Commission Report....