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NITI Aayog meet: CM Mann seeks special package for Punjab border districts
The chief minister demanded infrastructure grants for border resilience to ensure a comprehensive development of six border districts -- Amritsar, Gurdaspur, Tarn Taran, Ferozepur, Fazilka and Pathankot.
Chief minister Bhagwant Mann on Saturday sought a special industrial package for the state’s six districts that share borders with Pakistan and also demanded a cash incentive for maize cultivation to replace the water-guzzling paddy crop.
At the meeting of the 10th governing council of the NITI Aayog in Delhi, Mann said to develop Punjab as an industrial hub in the country, the state government has strengthened the unified regulator model under ‘Invest Punjab’.
Seeking a special industrial package for border districts, Mann said industries in these districts are disadvantaged due to their proximity to Pakistan.
Seeking parity with Jammu and Kashmir incentives for industries, Mann sought a PLI (production-linked incentive) scheme, freight subsidy, tax relief, agro-zones and others for the state.
The chief minister also asked for infrastructure grants for border resilience to ensure a comprehensive development of six border districts -- Amritsar, Gurdaspur, Tarn Taran, Ferozepur, Fazilka and Pathankot.
“Border areas lack support despite high risk and only 101 villages are covered under the Centre’s ‘Vibrant Village’ scheme. Special grants should be given for trauma centres, bunkers, cyber security and resilient infrastructure,” Mann said and sought upward revision of compensation to farmers having land between fence and border to ₹30,000 per acre per year against the current compensation of ₹10,000 per acre.
Mann also opposed unilateral borrowing limit deductions under Article 293 and urged the inclusion of cess, surcharges and select non-tax revenue in the Centre’s divisible pool, adding he proposed increasing vertical devolution to 50%.
The CM affirmed Punjab’s full alignment with the vision of ‘Viksit Bharat @2047’, and said that his government is committed to building a ‘Rangla Punjab’ -- a vibrant, inclusive, and progressive state, according to an official statement.
“We reaffirm Punjab’s dedication to cooperative federalism and to building a Viksit Bharat by 2047 through mutual collaboration” he added.
Seeking a grant of ₹2,829 crore for the state, Mann said it is necessary to check drug trafficking and upscale border security.
He said these funds will be utilised for upgrading infrastructure, jail security, de-addiction and others, citing that over 53,000 arrests have been made and 3,579 kg of heroin has been seized so far in anti-drug operations.
He further said to revitalise Punjab’s economy, it is proposed to develop an economic corridor along the Delhi-Katra Expressway which will pass through Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Kapurthala, Gurdaspur, Patiala, Sangrur, and Malerkotla.
“This corridor will serve as a strategic industrial and logistics hub, connecting key regions and facilitating seamless movement of goods and services,” Mann said.
Batting for crop diversification to make agriculture a profitable venture, Mann sought a cash incentive of ₹17,500 per hectare for maize to replace paddy.
Mann demanded adequate representation of Punjab officers and officials in the Chandigarh Administration in the ratio of 60:40.
Raising the issue of release of pending arrears under the Post-Matric Scholarship Scheme for Scheduled Caste students for academic sessions 2017-18, 2018-19 and 2019-20, Mann said Punjab has the highest percentage of Scheduled Caste population (31.94%) in the country.
Mann also batted for the desilting of Harike head works, located at the confluence point of rivers Sutlej and Beas.
He said over the years the sedimentation of suspended silt or sand particles in the reservoir has drastically reduced the capacity of the reservoir and the backwater effect of the water required for optimal operation of canals is now being felt up to Kapurthala district.
“Large swaths of agricultural land along the Sutlej and Beas rivers are becoming susceptible to flooding,” he said, adding that there is an urgent need for carrying out de-silting of the reservoir at a cost ₹600 crore approximately.
