Punjab Seeks Center’s Help for Border Security, Industry, Farming

by The_unmuteenglish

Chandigarh, December 23, 2024: The Punjab government has urged the central government to bolster police infrastructure and promote industrial growth in the state’s border and semi-hilly districts.

The requests were made during a pre-budget meeting in Jaisalmer with Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, underlining the need for industrial incentives similar to those provided in Jammu and Kashmir and neighboring hill states.

Punjab Finance Minister Advocate Harpal Singh Cheema accentuated the urgent requirement to increase NABARD’s Short Term Seasonal Agricultural Operation (ST-SAO) loan limit, which was reduced by ₹1,100 crore to ₹3,041 crore. “Restoring this limit aligns with the principle of ‘Sahakar se Samridhi’ to prevent farmers from relying on moneylenders,” Cheema said, adding that the issue had been raised by several states.

For better connectivity, Punjab has requested ₹100 crore for the construction of a 5.6 km long approach road linking NH 44 to the Integrated Manufacturing Cluster (IMC) in Rajpura under the Pradhan Mantri Gati Shakti initiative. Additionally, Cheema proposed the introduction of another Vande Bharat train to connect Bathinda, Punjab’s agricultural and commercial hub, with the national capital, while thanking the Center for the Amritsar-New Delhi Vande Bharat service.

To address stubble management challenges, Punjab proposed a ₹2,500 per acre incentive, with ₹2,000 from the central government and ₹500 from the state. The initiative, costing ₹2,000 crore, seeks ₹1,600 crore in central support. Cheema also sought financial assistance for diversifying 10 lakh hectares of paddy farming, estimating savings of over ₹30,000 crore from such measures.

Under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Rural), the state proposed increasing the grant per beneficiary from ₹1.2 lakh to ₹2.5 lakh to meet higher construction costs. Outstanding dues of ₹1,119 crore under the National Health Mission (NHM) were also raised, along with a call to increase cook-cum-helpers’ honorarium from ₹600 to ₹2,000 under the Pradhan Mantri Poshan Abhiyan.

Punjab further requested ₹300 crore for 250 electric buses and charging infrastructure, reimbursement of procurement costs, modernizing driving license testing centers, and clearance of ₹6,857 crore in Rural Development Fund arrears.

While acknowledging the central government for enabling the discussions, Punjab reiterated the need for dedicated budget allocations to strengthen its economy and improve living standards across the state.

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