Badal to take up easing of border with the PM

Amritsar, Mar 3 (UNI) Newly sworn-in Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today said here that he will soon take up with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, the issue of ''easing of border with Pakistan'' to bring prosperity to the farmers in the border villages.

Speaking to mediapersons after paying obeisance at the Golden Temple here, Mr Badal stressed that he looked forward to having constructive cooperation with the UPA government, adding that the PM had congratulated him on phone yesterday.

''I plan to meet the Prime Minister soon and impress upon him the need to ease the border with Pakistan,specially at Wagah, for the benefit of the farmers in the border districts who stand to gain with agricultural trade,'' Mr Badal said.

At times there is steep demand for agricultural products in Pakistan, especially vegetables, and farmers of border districts in Punjab, who were suffering due to lack of industry, stand to gain if Wagah trade route was eased, he said.

Trade route with Pakistan would also provide access to West Asia which would bring prosperity to the basically agrarian state.

The Chief Minister also said that in the state budget, the emphasis would be upon welfare schemes for Dalits and education and health sectors.

Mr Badal also expressed concern over the menace of narcotics which has spread its tentacles in the state, specially among the young generation.

''Though it is difficult to completely root out the menace, we will endeavour to curtail it to a large extent and try to wean people away from it by offering new employment schemes, incentives and awareness campaigns,'' he said.

UNI