Press Note Punjab CM Office:
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Saturday announced what he described as a major relief for farmers in Punjab’s border areas after the Central Government agreed in principle to consider shifting the border security fencing closer to the International Border.
According to the Chief Minister, the proposed realignment would allow farmers to cultivate thousands of acres of agricultural land that currently lie beyond the fencing, particularly along the 532-kilometre India–Pakistan border in Punjab.
The announcement came after a meeting between the Punjab Chief Minister and Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi. The Chief Minister said the Home Minister informed him that the matter is under active consideration and that the fencing would be shifted towards the border in a manner that would not compromise national security.
The Chief Minister stated that in several areas the border fencing is currently located deep inside Punjab’s territory, in some places extending two to three kilometres from the International Border. As a result, large tracts of agricultural land fall beyond the fence.
He said farmers cultivating these lands have been required to cross the fence daily with identity cards and farm their fields under escort of the Border Security Force, leading to prolonged hardship, delays, and uncertainty.
According to the Chief Minister, shifting the fencing closer to the border would bring substantial portions of Indian farmland back on the accessible side of the fence, allowing uninterrupted agricultural activity. He added that similar realignment has already been undertaken in parts of Pathankot.
During the meeting, the Punjab Chief Minister also raised several long-pending issues related to the state. These included Punjab’s objections to the proposed Seeds Bill 2025, the unresolved Sutlej–Yamuna Link canal dispute, slow movement of foodgrains by the Food Corporation of India, freezing of Arthia Commission rates, non-payment of the Rural Development Fund and Market Fees, and concerns over Punjab’s administrative role in Chandigarh.
On the proposed Seeds Bill, the Chief Minister conveyed that Punjab, being a major agrarian and grain-producing state, does not have assured representation under the Bill’s proposed structure. He also raised concerns over the reduction of powers of State Seed Committees and the absence of a clear compensation framework for farmers in cases where registered seed fails to perform as claimed.
Regarding river water disputes, the Chief Minister reiterated Punjab’s position that the state has no surplus water to share, citing reduced availability in the Satlej, Ravi, and Beas rivers. He said construction of the Sutlej–Yamuna Link canal is not viable under current conditions.
The Chief Minister also highlighted issues related to foodgrain movement and storage, stating that current monthly movement by the Food Corporation of India is insufficient to clear pending stocks. He said adequate storage space is required to ensure timely delivery of custom-milled rice for the 2025–26 Kharif Marketing Season and to prepare for wheat procurement beginning April 1, 2026.
He urged increased monthly movement of wheat and rice and suggested deployment of special trains to clear accumulated stocks, noting Punjab’s significant contribution to the national food pool.
Raising concerns over Arthia Commission rates, the Chief Minister said the commission has remained frozen since the 2019–20 procurement season despite statutory provisions. He also flagged pending payments of ₹9,030.91 crore under the Rural Development Fund and ₹2,267.83 crore in Market Fees, stating that delays have adversely affected rural infrastructure projects across the state.
According to the Chief Minister, the Union Home Minister assured that these issues would be examined and that priority meetings would be convened to address them.
The Chief Minister further raised concerns about maintaining the established 60:40 officer ratio between Punjab and Haryana in the Union Territory of Chandigarh. He said dilution of Punjab’s representation in key administrative departments has been a matter of concern and that assurances were given to maintain the existing arrangement.
This report is based on statements made by the Punjab Chief Minister following his meeting with the Union Home Minister. The Central Government had not issued a separate official statement at the time of filing this report.