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Special quota for border district youths in Agnipath: Will take up matter with Centre, says Punjab guv

Punjab governor Banwari Lal Purohit said to ensure progress and prosperity in Punjab’s six border districts, he will take up the matter with the highest authorities at the Centre to provide special incentive for the industry there

Updated on: Sep 13, 2022, 20:19:36 IST
By , Ferozepur
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Punjab governor Banwari Lal Purohit said he will take up with the Union defence minister the matter to introduce a special quota for the youth of six border districts of state in the Agnipath scheme on the lines of Jammu and Kashmir.

Punjab governor Banwari Lal Purohit being welcomed in Ferozepur on Tuesday. (HT Photo)
Punjab governor Banwari Lal Purohit being welcomed in Ferozepur on Tuesday. (HT Photo)

Addressing a gathering at an educational institute here on Tuesday, he said, “To ensure progress and prosperity in Punjab’s six border districts, I will personally take up the matter with the highest authorities at the Centre to provide special incentive for the industry there,” he said.

Purohit termed the drugs and arms trade across the border not mere sensitive, but too dangerous to national security.

He stressed on the public participation and coordination of all security agencies to stop the attempts by anti-national elements to smuggle arms and drugs into Punjab.

“Not only the drug menace but also the rampant illegal mining and ammunition trafficking in the border districts have been causing severe loss to vital structures. It’s high time that state police should launch a massive campaign against such offenders and book all of them for sedition,” he added.

To deal with the drug and illegal mining issues, an 11-member committee should be formed in each village of all the border districts with prominent people from the area coming forward to assist the government in eliminating these threats, he said.

While talking to mediapersons at Genesis Institute of Dental Sciences and Research, the governor suggested Punjab DGP (who also accompanied him) to transfer all cops who have been serving at the same posts/stations for more than 10 years to break down the possibility of their nexus with anti-national elements.