Entrepreneurs not showing interest in border areas of Punjab

Chandigarh, Mar 19 (UNI) Industries Minister Manoranjan Kalia today admitted that private entrepreneurs were not keen to set up their units in the border areas of the state.

''There is no proposal under government consideration for setting up agro based and food processing units in Valtoha and Bhikiwind blocks of Tarn Taran district and no such proposal had been received from any private entrepreneur,'' he told Virsa Singh Valtoha (SAD) during question hour in the Assembly here.

The Minister said private entrepreneurs were being requested to set up their units in the border areas. Concessions would be provided by the government for Rs 25 crore and above projects, he informed the House.

Regarding the issue of government employees raised by Mr Valtoha during question hour, Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal clarified that the Border Area Allowance which was given to the employees was stopped in 1988 and thereafter they were paid house rent which was 7.5 per cent of their basic pay.

Currently the employees posted in a 16 km radius of the Indo-Pakistan border were being paid normal house rent as per the status of the town where they were staying plus five per cent of the basic pay, he added.

The fifth Pay Commission which has been notified would come out with its report in the coming fiscal year and the employees of border areas would be paid as per the recommendations of the report of this Commission, the Minister added.

UNI HS PD AS1927