CM seeks one-time package for development of border areas as Rajnath comes calling
UNION HOME MINISTER INAUGURATES VIEWERS’ GALLERY AT INDOPAK JOINT CHECK POST AT HUSSAINIWALA
HUSSAINIWALA (FEROZEPUR) : Chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh urged Union home minister Rajnath Singh to provide a special one-time infrastructure development package for improving the state’s border areas.
Rajnath was here to inaugurate the newly constructed viewers’ gallery at the Indo-pakistan joint check post at Hussainiwala. The new gallery will be able to accommodate over 5,000 visitors. Built at the cost of ₹16.39 crore, the foundation stone of this gallery was laid down by then home minister, P Chidambaram, on October 22, 2010.
Everyday, a large number of people come to witness the retreat drill here where the BSF sentinels and Pakistani Rangers exchange hostile gestures.
Amarinder, wjho was present at the inauguration ceremony, urged the Union government to acquire land beyond the border fence as it could never be optimally used for agriculture due to security restrictions. Till the land is not acquired, the farmers should be compensated for loss, he added. The CM also requested the home minister to consider establishment of a railway linked inland container depot near the Attari railway station to boost cross-border trade. The CM also announced a grant of ₹2 lakh for providing quality food to the BSF personnel.
Earlier, Rajnath and Amarinder paid floral tributes at the ‘samadhi’ of freedom fighters Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, and Sukhdev.
Later, they drove to the joint check post where they addressed BSF jawans and visited the BSF museum where the original pistol belonging to Bhagat Singh — which was used in killing of British police officer John P Saunders — has been kept. RAJNATH FOR CORDIAL TIES WITH PAKISTAN CHANDIGARH: Union home minister Rajnath Singh said on Tuesday that India wanted cordial and peaceful relations with Pakistan and “expected reciprocity” from Islamabad.
After inaugurating the viewers’ gallery, the minister said: “India wants cordial and peaceful relations with its neighbour. India has taken many initiatives to ensure that both the neighbouring countries co-exist in an atmosphere of peace and mutual trust. We expect reciprocity to our repeated overtures of friendship and goodwill from Pakistan in future,” Rajnath said in his address.
Pakistan Punjab minister of industries Shiekh Allauddin was present in the viewers’ gallery and exchanged greetings with Rajnath.