Punjab News. A new chapter of security is now being written on the 553 km long international border. The steps taken by the state government for border security under the leadership of the Chief Minister have become an ideal example for the entire country. To deal with serious challenges like drugs, arms smuggling and drone infiltration, the Punjab government has prepared a solid ‘second line of defense’ based on modern technology, administrative vigilance and public participation, which has made border security seamless.
The biggest and most historic decision
The biggest and most historic decision has been the procurement and deployment of 9 state-of-the-art anti-drone systems. These systems, costing around ₹51.4 crore, are being installed in border districts. These systems can not only identify drones flying within a radius of 10 km, but can also locate the location of their operator. This initiative makes Punjab the first state in the country to have laid the foundation of anti-drone coverage at its own level. This visionary initiative of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann is proving to be a powerful technological shield against every illegal activity from across the border.
3,000 AI-enabled CCTV cameras installed
Along with this, the Punjab government has almost completed the plan to install 3,000 AI-enabled CCTV cameras in the border areas. Out of these, about 2,300 cameras are already operational, which immediately track suspicious activities and send alerts to the police control room. A budgetary provision of ₹20 crore has been made for this scheme. Chief Minister Mann has said that “now there are thousands of eyes monitoring every movement on the borders of Punjab, which are ensuring the security of the state day and night.”
Campaigns against smuggling launched
Public participation has been made the strongest link of this security system. The state government has formed 19,523 Village Defence Committees in the border areas, which include local citizens, ex-servicemen, teachers and youth. These committees are running a campaign against drugs and smuggling at the village level. Apart from this, the Mann government has also decided to deploy 5,000 Home Guards in the border areas. This is Punjab’s own ‘second line of defence’ which is ensuring vigilance in collaboration with the state police and security agencies.
Special budget allocation of Rs 110 crore
To strengthen border security, the Punjab government has allocated a special budget of ₹110 crore. Apart from this, an additional fund of ₹40 crore has been released for border development works. Punjab Police has set up 100 check posts at every 5 km on the border, due to which the vigilance system has been integrated. With all these efforts, there has been a significant reduction in drone-based smuggling. This policy of the Mann government is now becoming a source of inspiration for the entire country.
