Chandigarh, April 24:
In order to strengthen the second line of defence over more than 500 kilometre border in the state, the Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Wednesday gave nod for recruiting 5500 jawans in the border wing of Punjab Home Guards.
A decision to this effect was taken in a meeting chaired by the Chief Minister here at his official residence today.
Taking part in the meeting, the Chief Minister, in the wake of recent terrorist attack at Pahalgam (Jammu & Kashmir), underscored the need for setting up an effective second line of defence to check nefarious designs of forces inimical to the state. He said that 5500 jawans in the Border Wing of the Punjab Police will be deployed in the seven border districts of the state to enhance the security cover in Punjab. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that this proposal to set up a second line of defence behind the BSF will help to latch on to any element that escapes the BSF net at the international border.
The Chief Minister said that considering the enormity of the task, the state government will certainly need assistance from the center for which he will soon meet the Union Home Minister. He said that the state has the manpower, courage and competence adding that for additional resources the Government of India (GoI) will be approached. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the Punjab Police has the willingness, the experience and the professional competence to answer the need for such an impregnable fortress-wall to block any kind of invasion, open or disguised.
Meanwhile, the Chief Minister said that apart from these 5500 Home Guards, more than 400 jawans will be recruited across the state. He said that these jawans will be deployed in Sadak Surakhya Force (SSF), State Disaster Relief Force (SDRF) and others. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that this is imperative to ensure the safety and security of the people on one hand and provide jobs to the youth on the other.
