Source : INDIA TODAY NEWS
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Monday called for closer cooperation between the state government and the Indian Army on border security, anti-drone measures, recruitment of Punjabis in the Armed Forces and the welfare of serving personnel and ex-servicemen.
Mann made the remarks during a meeting with Chief of Army Staff General Dhiraj Seth in Chandigarh, where the two discussed national security and military issues concerning Punjab. The Chief Minister said the state shares a 532-km border with Pakistan and stressed the need for anti-drone technology and low-lying interceptive radars to curb cross-border smuggling.
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“Punjab is the first state in the country to install its own anti-drone technology. I solicit the support of the Chief of Army Staff for augmenting the efforts being made by the Punjab Police, which always acts as a second line of defence,” Mann said.
He also highlighted the state’s efforts to increase the recruitment of Punjabis into the Armed Forces, citing the Mai Bhago Armed Forces Preparatory Institute for Girls, Maharaja Ranjit Singh Armed Forces Preparatory Institute and the network of C-Pyte centres.
Mann said the Punjab government was committed to the welfare of soldiers and ex-servicemen and was providing jobs to former servicemen employed through the Punjab Ex-Servicemen Corporation (PESCO).
The Chief Minister also pointed to the popularity of retreat ceremonies at the Wagah, Hussainiwala and Sadqi border posts, saying they attract visitors from across the world. He said the state had also provided 200 acres of prime land in Ropar to the Indian Army, which could be used to promote the defence sector.
Mann thanked the Army for assisting the state during crises, particularly the recent floods, and assured the forces of the Punjab government’s “fulsome support and cooperation”.
General Seth, meanwhile, reaffirmed the Army’s commitment to nation-building and expressed gratitude to the state government for its policies supporting the welfare of veterans.
The meeting, according to the Punjab government, aimed at strengthening civil-military coordination on internal security, border management, disaster response and other potential crises.
– Ends
SOURCE :- TIMES OF INDIA
