Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has declared a significant relief for farmers in the state’s border region following the Central government’s agreement to relocate the Border Security Force (BSF) closer to the International Border. This move will enable the cultivation of vast farmland currently inaccessible due to existing fencing. Farmers have been enduring hardships crossing the fence daily with identity cards and BSF escorts to reach their fields along the 532-km India-Pakistan border, where the fencing intrudes deep into Punjab’s territory.
During a meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah, CM Mann disclosed that the Home Minister assured active consideration of the issue. The fencing will be repositioned towards the border, allowing Punjab’s land to be on the accessible side without compromising national security. Alongside addressing the border matter, CM Mann raised various long-standing concerns, including objections to the proposed Seeds Bill 2025, the unresolved Sutlej Yamuna Link (SYL) dispute, slow movement of foodgrains by the Food Corporation of India, freezing of Arthiya Commission, non-payment of Rural Development Fund (RDF) and Mandi Fund, and the weakening of the state’s role in Chandigarh’s administration. Seeking swift resolutions to these issues, he emphasized the importance of prompt actions.
Expressing strong opposition to the Seeds Bill 2025, CM Mann highlighted that the draft bill lacks adequate representation for Punjab in decision-making processes concerning the seed sector. The proposed legislation diminishes the powers of the State Seed Committee and fails to provide a robust compensation framework for farmers affected by seed failures. Moreover, he raised concerns about the import and sale of seed varieties tested abroad without mandatory multi-location testing under state-specific agro-climatic conditions, posing risks to farmers.
Reiterating Punjab’s stance on river waters, CM Mann emphasized that the state cannot share water due to reduced availability of Sutlej, Ravi, and Beas waters. He firmly opposed the construction of the Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal, citing the unfair water allocation that disproportionately favors other states. Punjab’s allocation of only 40% of the total water flow from these rivers, with the rest going to Haryana, Delhi, and Rajasthan, is deemed unjust. Punjab maintains its position before the Supreme Court that there is no surplus water to spare, firmly rejecting the construction of the SYL canal.
