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Indian Express
10-05-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Punjab clears 51 cr for anti-drone system: ‘9 to be installed at border'
THE PUNJAB government Friday cleared a proposal to procure an anti-drone system at an outlay of Rs 51.41 crore to be deployed at state's border with Pakistan the move coming at a time when the neighbouring country has been unleashing a swarm of drones to target Indian military facilities, probe air defence systems and gather intelligence at multiple locations. The decision was taken in an emergency meeting of the Council of Ministers chaired by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. 'Nine anti-drone systems will be installed along 532 kilometres of border with Pakistan. The anti-drone system (ADS) was required to enhance the capability to detect and neutralise hostile drones, thereby preventing the influx of arms, explosives and narcotics that are smuggled from across the border,' an official spokesperson said after the meeting. Mann said, 'We have six border districts. We will buy our own anti-drone system. The BSF already has anti-drone systems. But we will buy more and help the security personnel. Drones will not be allowed to enter our territory,' said Mann. The need for deploying the aMann said that the Cabinet has also decided that the 'Farishtey Scheme', under which road accident victims get immediate help on the roads by Sadak Surakhya Force, would be ex-tended to the victims of war and terrorism. 'Considering the ongoing circumstances, we have decided that the scheme would also cover victims of war and terrorism. Under this scheme, free medical treatment would be given to these victims,' said Mann. He said the Cabinet had also given a nod to promote maize under the diversification plan of the government. 'We have written to the Centre to give us Rs 17,000 per acre for diversification to maize,' he said, adding that they have already got in touch with the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED), which will be procuring the maize. MARKFED (Punjab State Co-op Supply and Marketing Federation Ltd) will also purchase it, he added. 'We will ensure that if a farmer sows maize after diversifying from paddy, it is procured,' Mann said. The Cabinet had also given its nod to create a land pool in ferent parts of the state. The Cabinet also gave approval for installing V-Kavach jammers in 13 high security jails. These 5G enabled hi-end jammers have been already successfully tested and all the jails of the state will be covered by it gradually. Likewise, the Cabinet also gave nod for transferring 135 acre land of Housing department land at Faridkot to industries department. The land originally belonged to cooperative sugar mill and was transferred to Housing department under the OUVGL scheme. Examining the huge potential of land for industrial use, the land will be transferred to industry department for development into industrial zone. In another major decision, the Cabinet gave consent for bringing an ordinance to start bullock cart races in the state. The ordinance is aimed at ensurdifing that the rich culture of state is preserved by organising these games which was an integral part of Punjabi culture. Special thrust will be laid on ensuring that no torture of bullock carts takes place during the race for which special clause will be put in the ordinance.
Hindustan Times
10-05-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Punjab approves funds for anti-drone systems
Amid escalating tensions, the Punjab cabinet on Friday gave a nod for the purchase of anti-drone systems at a cost of ₹51.41 crore to check the smuggling of weapons and drugs via drones from across the border. A decision to this effect was taken in a meeting of the council of ministers chaired by chief minister Bhagwant Mann here. Mann, who addressed a press conference after the meeting, said that nine anti-drone systems would be deployed along the 532-km border with Pakistan, from Pathankot to Abohar. 'The BSF has already got some anti-drone systems,' said the chief minister, who did not take questions. A spokesperson of the chief minister's office later said that these systems would help in checking the smuggling of drugs and weapons along the border through the drones. 'The government will spend ₹51.41 crore on this initiative aimed at strengthening security along with border,' said the spokesperson. Punjab shares a long international border with Pakistan, which is used to smuggle drugs from Afghanistan, a major heroin producer, and the fencing along the border has been breached with the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) or drones,' the spokesperson said. The spokesperson said that the requirement for the anti-drone system to enhance the capability to detect and neutralise hostile drones, thereby preventing the influx of arms, explosives and narcotics smuggled from across the border, was a must. 'Additionally, it was also needed for security during movement of VIPs/VVIPs and persons with high threat perception in the state,' he said. The CM also mentioned that two cabinet ministers would be stationed in border districts – Gurdaspur, Amritsar, Tarn Taran, Pathankot, Ferozepur and Fazilka – to oversee the situation on the ground and work closely with the local administration to ensure there is no hoarding or black marketing of essential goods and services. He said the ministers would visit fire stations, hospitals, ration depots and other places in addition to villages in border areas to listen to the problems of the villagers and ensure their redressal. 'Senior secretary rank officers will also be deployed to the border regions,' he added. Jammers to be installed in 13 prisons Another key decision made by the cabinet was regarding the installation of state-of-the-art jammers in 13 prisons across the state. 'The cabinet also approved procurement of V-Kavach jammers for 13 high-security jails of the state. These 5G-enabled hi-end jammers will be installed in the jails for better security, said the spokesperson. The jammers have been already successfully tested and all the jails of the state will be covered by it gradually, he added. War, terror victims included in Farishtey Scheme Another decision of the state cabinet was to include war and terrorist-affected victims under the Farishtey scheme to provide them immediate hassle-free medical treatment in government and empanelled private hospitals in the state. This decision would provide coverage for victims of war and terrorist activities, ensuring comprehensive support and relief to affected individuals. 'Additionally, to encourage the common people to come forth and help such victims so that timely treatment may save the lives of the victims who require medical attention. This will be incentivised with cash rewards and commendation certificates,' the spokesperson added. Land acquisition for urban estates eased The cabinet also gave its consent to simplify the land acquisition process through direct purchase to expedite the process of establishing urban estates and timely completion of other development works in the state. It also gave its consent for the land pooling scheme of the housing department to set up more urban estates in the state. 'The policy will help provide affordable housing facilities to the people of the state. The scheme will be helpful in land acquisition for setting up of the urban estates across the state,' according to the spokesperson. The approval of the new mechanism for the purchase of land directly from the landowners will facilitate expediting the process of establishing urban estates and the timely completion of other development works. The land to be acquired for the development of urban estates/creating infrastructure will be identified by a committee as per the land purchase policy of the department of revenue and rehabilitation of July 7, 2011. The cabinet also gave consent for bringing an ordinance to start Bullock cart races in the state. 'Special thrust will be laid on ensuring that no torture of bullock carts takes place during the race for which special clause will be put in the ordinance,' the spokesperson said. Likewise, the council of ministers also gave a nod for transferring the 135-acre land of the housing department in Faridkot to the industries department. The land originally belonged to a cooperative sugar mill and was transferred to the housing department. Another decision was related to making NRIs an equal partner in the development of the state as the cabinet approved the creation of the Rangla Punjab Fund, in which people can generously contribute to giving fillip to infrastructure growth. This fund, managed by the finance department, will be used for accelerating growth in education, health, industry and other sectors. A nod was also given to a pilot project of kharif maize in three regions of the state. The pilot project will be launched in three regions— Gurdaspur-Pathankot, Bathinda and Jalandhar-Kapurthala, over an area of 12,000 hectares. The green signal was given to set up an ultramodern centre of excellence for mining at IIT-Ropar.
Hindustan Times
09-05-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Punjab extends farishtey scheme for victims of war, terrorism
Chandigarh, People affected by war and terrorism will now be included under Punjab's 'farishtey' scheme, which was originally aimed at providing free treatment to accident victims. A decision to this effect was taken at the cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Friday. A spokesperson of the Chief Minister's Office said coverage under the farishtey scheme 2024 has been expanded to provide immediate, hassle-free medical treatment to victims of war and terrorist activities, at government and empanelled private hospitals in the state. The move is aimed at lowering the mortality and morbidity rates resulting from injuries sustained during war and terrorist activities, and to encourage common people to come forward and help such individuals get timely treatment, he said. Under the original farishtey scheme, any person who voluntarily rescues accident victims and help save their lives will be considered a 'farishta' and conferred with a commendation certificate and ₹2,000 cash prize. The scheme applies to all victims of road accidents in Punjab and provides comprehensive treatment to accident victims, without a cap on the cost. The cabinet has also approved a pilot project to promote kharif maize in three regions, in order to push for crop diversification in the state. The project will be launched in three regions Gurdaspur-Pathankot, Bathinda and Jalandhar-Kapurthala spread over 12,000 hectares. The government will evolve a foolproof mechanism to ensure marketing of kharif maize to benefit the state's farmers, the spokesperson said. "The government has decided to buy maize crop at the minimum support price," he said. In another decision aimed at preserving the rich Punjabi culture, the cabinet gave its consent to bring an ordinance to start bullock cart races in the state. The game was once an integral part of Punjabi culture. A special clause in the ordinance lays emphasis on ensuring that no bulls are tortured during the race. The other decisions taken included cover under the Old Pension Scheme for 2,053 state government employees whose joining process started before January 1, 2004, and the installation of high-end 5G-enabled V-Kavach jammers for better security in 13 high-security jails. These jammers have already been successfully tested and they will be installed in all the jails in the state gradually, the spokesperson said. The cabinet also approved the transfer of 135 acres of the housing department's land at Faridkot to the industries department. The land, which originally belonged to a cooperative sugar mill and was transferred to the housing department, has huge potential for industrial use and hence will be developed into an industrial zone, he said. The creation of a 'Rangla Punjab Fund' was approved in order to give Non-Resident Indians a stake in the state's development. NRIs or resident Indians can contribute to this fund that would give a fillip to the state's growth. Managed by the finance department, the Rangla Punjab Fund will be used to accelerate growth in education, health, industry and other sectors. The cabinet also gave green signal to set up a 'centre of excellence for mining' at Indian Institute of Technology, Ropar. The centre of excellence will assess the area covered under mining and the extent of exploitation being done in the sector.
