Punjab: Industrial policy in place, but anchor investment missing

Tribune News Service

Vijay C Roy

Chandigarh, December 29

The introduction of new industrial policy, colour-coded stamp papers, WhatsApp helpline and constitution of the Industry Advisory Commission were some of the major initiatives undertaken by the AAP government this year to attract investment and to prevent the exodus of the industry from the state.

Highs

• State govt introduced new industrial policy
• To develop Mohali as industrial hub of the state
• Sought stakeholders’ views to make the state industry-friendly

lows

• Focal points in a shambles
• Frequent disruption of road, rail traffic by farm unions
• High land prices prove stumbling block in attracting investment

Due to concerted efforts of the state government, investments worth Rs 57,796 crore have been firmed up, which would provide 2.98 lakh jobs to youth.

Last year, the Chief Minister said due to ease of doing business, an investment of Rs 30,000 crore had been firmed up. This year, the state managed to attract an investment of around

Rs 28,000 crore.

Several projects are at the implementation stage. In October, Mann performed the ground-breaking ceremony of Tata Steel’s

Rs 2,600 crore green steel plant in Ludhiana. The plant would be ready and operational within 18 months.Notably, Tata Steel last year signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Punjab Government to set up a steel scrap-based electric arc furnace steel plant.

Punjab has become the first state in the country to start colour-coded stamp papers to facilitate the industrialists.

With this, pre-approvals are being given by key departments through a single-window system within a stipulated time frame.

To seek suggestions of industrialists, a WhatsApp helpline was launched in July. So far, more than 1,600 suggestions have been received and necessary amendments have been made in the policy by the state government.

The Chief Minister also interacted with 70 industrial associations and 1,500 industrialists in Amritsar, Jalandhar, Ludhiana and Mohali to address their problems. Further, the Industrial Advisory Commission for 26 major industrial sectors has been constituted which is headed by the Cabinet-ranked persons.

For the first time, the state government organised “Sarkar-Sanatkar Milni”with industrialists in Amritsar, Jalandhar, Ludhiana and Mohali. Despite several investor-friendly initiatives, the state is yet to get an anchor investment.

The protests by farm unions on a regular basis to impress upon the government has become a stumbling block for the industry.

In November, farmers staged a ‘dharna’ for a couple of days on the Jalandhar-Phagwara national highway which affected traffic movement between Jalandhar and the national capital, thus impacting export consignments.

In September, farmers in large numbers squatted on railway tracks in various parts of the state, while another group of cultivators blocked the Chandigarh-Ambala road as part of their stir to demand a financial package for losses incurred in floods during the monsoon, a legal guarantee to minimum support price and debt waiver.

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