E-Paper
National security: Need better coordination between state police, central agencies, says Punjab guv
Purohit said the neighbouring country is finding ways to foment trouble in Punjab by drugs and weapons smuggling through drones
Ferozepur: With a focus on the national security, especially in the six border districts of the state, Punjab governor Banwarilal Purohit on Saturday stressed on better coordination between the state police and central security agencies.
Interacting with the media at Fazilka after he, along with chief minister Bhagwant Mann, held a meeting with officials from the central and state agencies besides sarpanches and the panches of border villages, Purohit said: “The agenda of the meeting was to evolve a robust mechanism to strengthen the security of these districts, especially when the neighbouring country is finding ways to foment trouble in Punjab by drugs and weapons smuggling through drones.”
Expressing concern that drugs from across the border are falling into the hands of even school-going children, the governor solicited people’s cooperation and exhorted them to be alert and tip off the police and other security agencies whenever such an nefarious activity takes place.
The governor said to channelize the energy of youth hailing from the border areas, a scheme “Agneepath” would be launched in which they will be given training, besides employment in the army for four to six years.
Speaking on the occasion, the CM said the state government will encourage industry in the border areas, besides opening schools, colleges and skill development institutions to provide job avenues to the youth.
Asserting that there should be no compromise on national security, Mann said that he will meet the Union home minister on April 12 for providing state of the art surveillance equipment to the Punjab Police for nipping the menace of cross-border smuggling in the bud. The issue of farmers having lands across the barbed wire fence would be resolved soon, he added.
