On Friday, Bittu, the Union Minister of State for Railways and Food Processing Industries, shared a series of photographs from the meeting on X, writing: “Honored to meet Hon’ble Prime Minister Sh. @narendramodi ji at his residence. Shared my joy over India’s recent victory over Pakistan and commended his exemplary leadership in handling tough situations with grace and determination.”

“Discussed key initiatives for Punjab’s development, focusing on growth and prosperity for our state. Prime Minister Modi also shared his thoughts on the current religious and political landscape in Punjab and the path ahead. During the meeting, I presented two books to the Prime Minister — Guru Nanak’s Blessed Trail and The Golden Temple — both symbolizing the essence of Sikhism and the teachings of Guru Nanak Dev Ji,” Bittu further wrote.

According to sources, Bittu raised the long-standing demand for a special package for Punjab, underlining the state’s vulnerability as a border state. He pointed out that Punjab shares a 553 km border with Pakistan, covering six districts — Pathankot, Gurdaspur, Tarn Taran, Amritsar, Ferozepur, and Fazilka — and remains at the forefront in times of conflict. Highlighting the socio-economic challenges in these areas, he proposed that youths from border districts be given relaxations in Army recruitment norms, sources said.

Bittu reportedly also pitched a significant development proposal — the creation of a canal system in Punjab’s Doaba and Majha regions, similar to that in Malwa. He emphasised the need to utilise the waters of rivers Beas and Ravi to reduce dependence on groundwater and prevent its overexploitation, sources added.

Another important issue discussed was the upcoming bypoll in the Ludhiana West Assembly constituency. Bittu briefed Prime Minister Modi about the strategic importance of the seat, revealing that the BJP had secured the highest number of votes in this constituency during the recent Lok Sabha polls, even though it eventually lost the seat to Congress’s Amrinder Singh Raja Warring.

The BJP had led in six of the nine Assembly segments in Ludhiana but failed to secure rural votes in Gill, Dakha, and Jagraon segments, leading to its defeat. The party is yet to announce a candidate for the bypoll, and Bittu stressed the constituency’s significance to the Prime Minister, said reliable sources.

Notably, this meeting assumes added importance as the BJP continues to struggle with popularity in Punjab, and any direct engagement by Prime Minister Modi with a Punjab-based minister is seen as a significant political gesture. Bittu is currently the Rajya Sabha member from Rajasthan, though he is based in Punjab.

PM Modi had recently visited the Adampur airbase in Punjab on May 13, following a ceasefire between India and Pakistan, to boost the morale of air force personnel. His visit was closely followed by calls from Punjab residents for a special package from the Centre, given the state’s high-risk status due to its dense population and proximity to the international border.

The push for such a package was formally made by Jakhar during the all-party meeting in Chandigarh on May 10, which was attended by Governor Gulab Chand Kataria, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, and other political leaders. Jakhar stated that all parties unanimously supported the demand for a special economic package to compensate for losses in trade and business caused by the recent conflict.

“Punjab has always stood on the frontlines and borne the brunt in every war. This time too, beyond loss of life, trade and business have been hit hard. A package is urgently needed to mitigate these losses,” Jakhar said.