After chairing a cabinet meeting in Ludhiana on Wednesday, Punjab chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi announced a special assembly session on November 8 to discuss the Centre’s notification enhancing the jurisdiction of the Border Security Force (BSF) in the state besides the three farm laws.
Also read: Punjab elections: Former CM Capt Amarinder Singh will launch own party
Addressing the media after the cabinet meet, Channi said: “We will convene a special Vidhan Sabha session on November 8 to decide on the BSF jurisdiction and farmers’ issues.”
The Punjab chief minister demanded that the Centre withdraw the notification citing the increase in BSF range from 15km to 50km. “If the Centre does not withdraw its notification on the BSF range, we will be forced to stop it by November 8,” Channi said.
He said the Centre and state relations are bound to face hurdles if the decision is not taken back. “We will also be moving the Supreme Court if nothing is done,” he said.
The chief minister had convened an all-party meeting on the issue on Tuesday, which was attended by representatives of the Aam Aadmi Party and the Shiromani Akali Dal, but the BJP boycotted the meeting stating that there’s no conflict between the BSF and Punjab Police.
{{/usCountry}}The chief minister had convened an all-party meeting on the issue on Tuesday, which was attended by representatives of the Aam Aadmi Party and the Shiromani Akali Dal, but the BJP boycotted the meeting stating that there’s no conflict between the BSF and Punjab Police.
{{/usCountry}}Senior BJP leader Manoranjan Kalia said, “The BSF is a concurrent list subject. Along with the BSF, Punjab Police can also carry out searches and register cases. Drones are used to smuggle weapons and drugs and to stop these illegal activities, the jurisdiction of BSF has been widened.”
Abolishes institutional tax for industry
Announcing a slew of measures for the state industry ahead of the Progressive Punjab Investors Summit, 2021, Channi said the Cabinet has decided to abolish institutional tax, which was a long-pending demand of industry.
Channi said that he has been a shopkeeper and he knows what Diwali means to every businessman. “There will be no police interference, a complete end to inspector raj and I will ensure there is no problem for shopkeepers,” he said.
Reminiscing the days he himself used to sell crackers on Diwali, he said his father was a tent shop owner and he managed to pay the fee of an academic year by selling firecrackers. “So I know what business is and my heart goes out to shopkeepers,” he said.
Film City near Chandigarh, exhibition centre in Amritsar
Channi announced a Film City near Chandigarh and an exhibition centre in Amritsar besides ₹147 crore for the development of focal points in the state.
State finance minister Manpreet Singh Badal said the tax department will be totally faceless. He said of the 48,000 pending VAT (value-added tax) refunds, 40,000 will be waived and the remaining 8,000 will be pushed for one-time settlement.