Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann pushes for special category status and border aid

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann appealed to the Union government for special category status (SCS) for the state, seeking a 90:10 funding pattern for all centrally‑sponsored schemes similar to that granted to hill states, the North‑East and Jammu & Kashmir. He also requested a dedicated financial package to develop the border districts that share a 553‑km frontier with Pakistan.

Mann highlighted multiple challenges faced by Punjab, including cross‑border terrorism, drone‑enabled smuggling of drugs and weapons, organised crime, a rising drug‑addiction problem among youth, and hardships for farmers cultivating land near the security fence under BSF protection. He cited the 2025 floods that damaged over 2,300 villages and caused losses estimated at ₹12,905 crore, and noted that only 107 villages are covered under the Vibrant Village‑II programme despite more than 2,000 villages lying close to the border. The CM urged the Centre to strengthen border infrastructure and provide comprehensive support for the state's security and development needs.