CHANDIGARH: Criticising the central government for extending the jurisdiction of BSF in Punjab, state technical education and industrial training, employment generation and training and horticulture minister Rana Gurjit Singh on Tuesday said the move will have a negative impact on the economic prosperity of the state.
The minister said the move had created panic and a sense of insecurity in investors. "How will the investor go to the 25,000-square-km border belt which is under the jurisdiction of the security force?" Rana said. He stated that even adjoining industrial units of homegrown industries would consider shifting to safer places.
Taking a dig at PM Narendra Modi-led government’s treatment with the agrarian state, Rana Gurjit said BSF jurisdiction had been reduced by 20km in five north eastern states of Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, Nagaland and Meghalaya where the jurisdiction was earlier 80 km. In Gujarat, it has been curtailed from 80km to 50km. "There should be a level-playing field and such imbalance would even hit trade, commerce and industry in landlocked states, besides creating tiffs between central and state agencies," he said. He said there was a dire need to reconsider the jurisdiction issue. "The first step in this direction would be to constitute a western border states advisory council having CMs/governors as members under the chairmanship of Union home minister, on the pattern of North East Council," he added.
