Chandigarh, Dec 22 (IANS) Punjab raised a demand for central assistance to strengthen its police infrastructure and security efforts in districts bordering Pakistan, with a grant of Rs 1,000 crore, an official statement said on Sunday.
Industrial incentives similar to those provided to Jammu and Kashmir and neighbouring hill states were also sought to support MSMEs in Punjab’s border and sub-mountainous regions, during the pre-budget meeting held in Jaisalmer in Rajasthan with Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
State Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema said the state has raised the demand to restore NABARD’s Short-Term Seasonal Agricultural Operations (ST-SAO) limit to Rs 3,041 crore, from the reduced limit of Rs 1,100 crore for FY 2024-25.
He said this restoration is vital to prevent farmers from turning to moneylenders. Several states raised this issue and it was discussed at length, he said.
For road connectivity under PM Gati Shakti, the state has requested Rs 100 crore to construct a 5.6-km, 45-m wide approach road connecting the National Highway 44 to the Integrated Manufacturing Cluster (IMC) in Rajpura. This funding is essential for the timely completion of road construction and the successful implementation of the industrial cluster.
Expressing gratitude for the Vande Bharat train connecting Amritsar with New Delhi, the state government requested another Vande Bharat train to connect Bathinda, the state’s agricultural and commercial hub, with the national capital. This would ensure seamless connectivity for the Malwa region of Punjab.
The minister also proposed financial support to address crop residue management in Punjab. He said despite providing 1.45 lakh crop residue management (CRM) machines since 2018, high operational costs remain a challenge.
The state government has proposed an incentive of Rs 2,500 per acre, with Rs 2,000 per acre from the Centre and Rs 500 per acre from the state. The total cost of this initiative is estimated at Rs 2,000 crore, with the Centre requested to provide Rs 1,600 crore as budgetary support.
Expressing gratitude to Union Finance Minister Sitharaman for providing Punjab with the opportunity to present its suggestions, Cheema said Punjab’s demand for an incentive package to address the unique challenges faced by the state, particularly due to its proximity to a hostile border with Pakistan, is crucial to bolster the state’s infrastructure and security measures.
He hoped that the upcoming Union Budget would act as a catalyst for fostering citizen welfare, driving regional development, and spurring economic growth.
–IANS
vg/vd
Disclaimer
The information contained in this website is for general information purposes only. The information is provided by TodayIndia.news and while we endeavour to keep the information up to date and correct, we make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability or availability with respect to the website or the information, products, services, or related graphics contained on the website for any purpose. Any reliance you place on such information is therefore strictly at your own risk.
In no event will we be liable for any loss or damage including without limitation, indirect or consequential loss or damage, or any loss or damage whatsoever arising from loss of data or profits arising out of, or in connection with, the use of this website.
Through this website you are able to link to other websites which are not under the control of TodayIndia.news We have no control over the nature, content and availability of those sites. The inclusion of any links does not necessarily imply a recommendation or endorse the views expressed within them.
Every effort is made to keep the website up and running smoothly. However, TodayIndia.news takes no responsibility for, and will not be liable for, the website being temporarily unavailable due to technical issues beyond our control.
For any legal details or query please visit original source link given with news or click on Go to Source.
Our translation service aims to offer the most accurate translation possible and we rarely experience any issues with news post. However, as the translation is carried out by third part tool there is a possibility for error to cause the occasional inaccuracy. We therefore require you to accept this disclaimer before confirming any translation news with us.
If you are not willing to accept this disclaimer then we recommend reading news post in its original language.
