Parliamentary panel to incorporate people's demand in report

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs here today assured people that their demands regarding integrated development of border areas and increase in employment opportunities for the youth will be incorporated in their report.
The Committee which was on a two-day visit, held a meeting with farmer organisations to ascertain problems being faced by them in border areas.
It held detailed discussions with farmer organisations, Punjab Chief Secretary, Principal Secretary Home Affairs, Director General of Police, and senior officials of Border Security Force.
Chairman of the panel and Rajya Sabha member Pardip Bhattacharya said the committee would work on the suggestions given by different people in the context of border areas and prepare a report in this regard along with their observations, and submit it to Parliament.

He said the report will be submitted to the Centre within two to three months.
The next meeting of the committee will be held in New Delhi, where issues pertaining to border areas, farmers, the people, steps to be taken for building infrastructure, strengthening of security, road network and water system would be discussed, Bhattacharya said.

After discussions it will submit a report with needful recommendations, he said.
Bhattacharya said the panel has received a charter of demands from farmers on border areas seeking increase in compensation, jobs for their educated children, availability of requisite facilities and basic amenities.
These demands will be considered sympathetically in order to develop these area on par with others, he said.

Member of the Committee and Lok Sabha MP Prem Singh Chandumajra said, "We have demanded enhancement in Border Area Development Funds and an increase in compensation to farmers having land along Indo-Pak borders."
He said the state minister from the border constituency of Attari Gulzar Singh Ranike and Chief Parliamentary Secretary Virsa Singh Valtoha also raised the issues of farmers before the committee.
Chandumajra said the committee and Centre have been asked to treat Border Areas as Special Zones by extending special allowances to teachers and doctors working in these remote areas and also demanded to increase the strength of BSF personnel in these areas.