Continuing with its anti-encroachment drive, authorities on Saturday retrieved more than 66 hectares of state land from "illegal occupants" including two former ministers in different parts of Jammu division, an official spokesman said.

Several illegal structures were also demolished during the day-long drive in Ramban, Kathua and Kishtwar districts, the spokesman said.

In Kishtwar district, he said around 67.09 kanal (3.3 hectares) encroached state land was freed from a former minister and his family in Karool, Sarthal, while 5.06 kanal encroached state land was vacated at Lachkhazana from the possession of another former minister.

The retrieved land will be soon utilised for various critical government projects and a land bank will be created for addressing land requirements by various departments, he said.

In Ramban, he said the district administration retrieved more than 708 kanal (35.4 hectares) of state land in different tehsils of Ramban, Pogal-Paristan (Ukhral),? Ramsoo, Rajgarh, Banihal and Batote.

The spokesman said another chunk of 546 kanals (27.3 hectares) of state and Roshni land was reclaimed from illegal occupants in Dinga Amb, Mahanpur, Marheen and Basohli Tehsils of Kathua district.

A piece of prime land of commercial category measuring five marlas was also recovered from a prominent politician during the eviction drive in Billawar, he said.

With Saturday's eviction, the total retrieval of state land in different parts of 11 tehsils of Kathua district stands at 31,683 kanal and 15 marlas, besides 1,157 kanal? and 14 marlas of kahcharie land, he said.