Rajnath assures central help to people of Punjab's border

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh today said the Centre was committed to extending all possible help to the people of Punjab's border areas and resolve their issues on priority.
He stated this after Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh sought full support from the central government for the state's development programmes for the border areas, including a proposed special package for the region.
Amarinder made the request to Rajnath Singh while accompanying him on a visit to Hussainiwala in Ferozepur, where the two leaders paid floral tributes to martyrs Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev and Rajguru at the National Martyrs Memorial.
The two discussed various issues concerning the development and progress of the border areas.

Amarinder later told mediapersons that the state government was fully sensitized to the hardships faced by the residents of the border areas.
He said his government was working closely and proactively with the Centre to resolve various issues related to the farming community, which had a large presence in the region.

Pointing out that Punjab has a 553 km-long sensitive international border comprising the districts of Pathankot, Gurdaspur, Amritsar, Tarn Taran, Ferozepur and Fazilka, Amarinder told Rajnath that his government was considering a special package to create new social and industrial infrastructure, reserve jobs in government and seats in selected educational institutions for the residents.

The new industrial policy of Punjab also provides for special incentives to these areas, he added.
Seeking central governments support for the regions development, Amarinder urged the Centre to provide a special one-time infrastructure development package for improving the state's border areas.
He also called for acquisition of land lying beyond the border fence by the government of India, as the same could never be optimally used for agriculture due to security restrictions by the Border Security Force (BSF).
Till these pieces of land are acquired, the farmers should be compensated for loss to their livelihood due to border fencing, he added.

The chief minister further sought liberal compensation by the Centre for land damaged or rendered ineffective for farming due to periodic military deployment.
He reiterated the states demand for similar tax incentives and promotion schemes for the region as were being given to the hilly and north-eastern regions of the country.
The border roads of this area should be taken up for special development and maintenance under the National Highway Programme, the chief minister said, adding that this would provide better access to the paramilitary and armed forces in securing the border while ensuring better connectivity for the regions development.

Another issue raised by the chief minister related to the Integrated Check Post (ICP) spread over 118 acres in Attari and used as a major corridor for import and export of various commodities, as well as for cross-border passenger movement, between India and Pakistan.
Amarinder urged the home minister to consider the establishment of a railway linked CFS/ICD in and around the Attari Railway Station to further boost cross-border trade.
Pointing out that no ICPs exist at Hussainiwala and Fazilka, the chief minister said while the CWC had confirmed that it was not commercially feasible to set up a ICP at Hussainiwala, no feasibility study had been carried out by PSWC for setting up ICPs at these centres.

The chief minister also discussed with Rajnath the issue of minimum support price (MSP) support for alternate crops, urging the Centre to consider providing Deficiency Price Payment Support to farmers to help them get crop remuneration as per MSP declared by it for all crops other than wheat and paddy.
This, he said, would encourage farmers to shift to cultivation of alternative crops such as maize, soyabean, oilseeds and pulses, thus destroying the non-remunerative wheat-paddy crop cycle.
Amarinder said his government had already come out with a comprehensive loan waiver scheme to mitigate the economic hardships of the states distressed farmers.

The Home Minister, in his address to BSF personnel, lauded their efforts in safeguarding the border areas with utmost sincerity, dedication and valour.