Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Thursday made an appeal to Union Home Minister Amit Shah to generously allocate funds to stop cross-border supply of drugs and weapons.

Mann, who met Shah in his office in New Delhi on Thursday, apprised the Union home minister about the use of drones for cross-border supply of drugs and weapons.

Expressing concern over the menace, Mann said it needs to be stopped for which the cooperation of the Central government is imperative. He sought the intervention of the Union home minister to give a face-to-face response to this challenge.

The CM also made an appeal to Shah to provide generous funds to ensure modernisation of the state police force to effectively meet the new challenges. He said to prevent cross-border infiltration and drone attacks, it is the need of the hour to provide the police force with state-of-the-art equipment and weapons.

Mann said it is most important to maintain the unity, integrity and sovereignty of the country. During the 40-minute meeting with the Union minister, the CM emphasised the need for better coordination between the Central and state governments to face this cross-border challenge. He said strengthening the security on the border is the need of the hour in the larger interest of the country.

Mann said Pakistan is patronising the drug mafia, which can prove very fatal for the unity and integrity of the country.  He also had a detailed discussion with Shah about the gangsters caught by Punjab.

The CM said the Union home minister and the state government are adopting a zero tolerance policy against the gangsters. He said the state government is duty bound to maintain law and order in the state at every cost.

Mann also flagged the issue of problems being faced by the farmers having land across the fence. He also urged the Union home minister to appoint a Punjab cadre officer as senior superintendent of police in Chandigarh, which has been pending since long.

Mann also sought the kind intervention of the Union Home Minister for immediate release of pending arrears of Rural Development Fee (RDF).  He was accompanied by Director General of Police Gaurav and special principal secretary to CM, Ravi Bhagat.