Punjab CM Seeks Rs2829 Cr to Build Border Infrastructure
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has urged the Central Government to urgently bolster the state’s border security by building civilian bunkers and air shelters in densely populated districts along the international border with Pakistan. The demand was placed before a visiting NITI Aayog team, amid rising security concerns and increased drone-based smuggling activities in the region.
Addressing the delegation led by NITI Aayog member Ramesh Chand and programme director Sanjeet Singh, Mann proposed a comprehensive plan to make the 2,100-plus border villages in Punjab more resilient to conflict, espionage, and infiltration. He called for a ₹2,829 crore special package to upgrade infrastructure, enhance communication networks, and deploy anti-drone systems to counter growing cross-border threats. The Chief Minister stressed that Punjab’s border districts house over 1,500 villages within just 10 kilometres of the Line of Control, many of which are densely populated and under-equipped to handle any emergency. He urged the Centre to take cues from models used in Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, and Uttarakhand, where special incentives have been extended for development in sensitive zones.
Mann emphasised that the current Vibrant Villages Programme was insufficient in Punjab’s context. Despite the region’s strategic sensitivity, only 101 villages have been selected under the scheme. He requested a revised framework to include all eligible border villages and align resources to the real risk on the ground. At the heart of his appeal was a call for the construction of urban bunkers, air shelters, and emergency operations centres. Mann said these would serve not only as first-line civilian defences but also as strategic hubs for coordination between civil and military establishments in case of future skirmishes or aerial threats.
Highlighting Punjab’s vulnerability to drone incursions, Mann said that large stretches of the border remain exposed due to the lack of electronic jamming systems. The proposed ₹2,829 crore funding includes the installation of jammers, upgrades in cyber security, and procurement of secure communication systems for seamless liaison between the Army, BSF, and Air Force. The Chief Minister proposed equipping all border districts with response command centres, smart sensors for street lighting, and real-time communication lines to enable swift reaction in crisis situations. He also called for secondary and tertiary trauma centres to be set up in major border cities to ensure medical readiness in the event of cross-border hostilities or terror strikes.
In a bid to strengthen civilian-military coordination, Mann pushed for expansion of the Border Wing Home Guards Scheme to cover all border villages, recommending a sharp increase in the duty allowance for home guards — from a meagre ₹45 to at least ₹655 per day. He described the increment as essential for maintaining operational morale and promoting long-term deployment in remote villages. Beyond defence, Mann also addressed Punjab’s broader economic and ecological concerns, including the need for its rightful share in the Indus river waters and fast-tracking the Yamuna–Satluj Link (YSL) canal, which he described as critical to mitigate the state’s deepening agricultural water crisis.
He also proposed the development of a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) with an allocation of ₹2,000 crore, aimed at revitalising trade, industry, and logistics in the state’s border districts. He asked NITI Aayog to extend Bharat Mala infrastructure projects in the state to improve corridor-based development and attract industry. Mann’s strategy blends security preparedness with socio-economic upliftment, arguing that Punjab’s border populations cannot be left behind while the rest of the country accelerates toward economic transformation. His demands also reflect a desire to reposition Punjab not just as a frontline defence state, but as a strategic investment region capable of contributing to national security and self-reliance.
With a heavy focus on capacity building, the CM suggested upskilling local youth in disaster response and civil defence operations, a move that aligns with the Gati Shakti vision of multi-sectoral infrastructure readiness. Resource mapping, he said, must go hand-in-hand with training to ensure that Punjab’s human capital is as prepared as its physical infrastructure. The delegation from NITI Aayog has assured that the proposals will be taken up at the policy level, although no immediate commitments were made. Analysts view the appeal as both timely and warranted, particularly in light of increasing cross-border drone activity, frequent seizures of arms, ammunition, and narcotics, and the recent incidents of tension along the LoC.
As geopolitical tensions simmer and Punjab’s location continues to make it a security hotspot, Mann’s pitch to NITI Aayog calls for a rethink of national planning frameworks to better serve border states. The next steps will now depend on the Centre’s willingness to integrate border resilience as a core development priority, not just a defence imperative.
