Rajya Sabha MP Satnam Sandhu raised the issue of development of the border areas of Punjab in Parliament. He demanded further strengthening of the Border Area Development Authority. He appealed to the central government to solve the problems of farmers, youth and local people living in the border areas. MP Sandhu said in Zero Hour that the central government has launched several schemes for the development of border areas in the last decade, including the Vibrant Village Program. Under this program, 3 thousand villages in 19 border areas are being developed with a budget of Rs 1 thousand crore. The Union Budget of 2025 has increased by 87% for the border areas.
Rajya Sabha MP Satnam Sandhu called the people of the border districts of Punjab (Ferozepur, Gurdaspur, Fazilka, Amritsar and Tarn Taran) as the ‘first defense line’ of the country and said that citizens here play an important role for national security. He mentioned challenges like infiltration, drug trafficking and firing in the border areas, which has made it difficult to cultivate here.
MP Sandhu said that farmers are facing irrigation problems, lack of agricultural resources and difficulties in selling crops. Their logistics cost increases, due to which they do not get the beneficial value of their produce. He said, to improve the safety and economic condition of the people living in the border areas, it is necessary to improve rural infrastructure.
Youth get employment and business opportunities
Referring to the challenges of the people living in the border villages, he said that the central government should cover more and more villages under the Vibrant Village Program, implement Mega Food Park projects. A Atal Incubation Center should be set up to promote entrepreneurship among the youth. He demanded to increase the number of de -addiction centers and to establish a Atal Incubation Center in every district to promote the skill development and entrepreneurship of the youth. He said that awareness should be spread under the drug -free India campaign. In collaboration with NITI Aayog, an incubation center should be opened in the border colleges, so that the youth get employment and business opportunities.
Appeal to speed up the border economy
MP Sandhu requested the central government to implement mega food park projects in the border districts. So that farmers can get fair price for their crops and boost the local economy. He demanded to extend the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana, Jan Shikshan Sansthan Yojana and National Training Promotion Scheme in the border districts.
The border areas get ‘first village in India’ status
Appreciating the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, MP Sandhu said that the border areas are no longer ‘the last village of India’, but ‘the first village in India’. He described the government’s efforts to establish modern monitoring systems and anti-drain technology as important, causing control of infiltration and drug trafficking. The MP appealed to the central government to take concrete steps for the betterment of citizens living in the border areas and include these areas in the mainstream of socio-economic development.
These people are not only citizens of the country, but also border warriors
MP Sandhu said, Punjabi is the first defense line in India living in the border areas, which has been fighting for the country with our forces. Punjab has a 553 km long international border with Pakistan, which is spread over the districts of Ferozepur, Gurdaspur, Fazilka, Amritsar and Tarn Taran of the state. These areas have national security, drug trafficking, landlessness, migration and some serious problems of farmers and people living here. People living in these border areas are not only citizens of the country, but they are border warriors. Residents of Punjab have shown unmatched bravery in the wars of 1965 and 1971.