Punjab Deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal today solicited Korean investment in environment management, transport, electronics and solar cell manufacturing besides offering to establish a Korean Park with plug and play facility to kickstart Korean investment in Punjab.These developments, including an offer by Korea to engage with Punjab to finalise fields in which it could collaborate with the State, occurred during a meeting between Mr Sukhbir Badal and the Korean Land, Infrastructure and Transport minister Kim Kyung Hwan here.The Korean minister said the government would ask Korean companies who had already invested in India to explore investment options in Punjab. Mr Hwan said Mohali was logically the most favourite place for investment due to its locational advantage vis a vis Delhi.
Mr Badal on his part also invited the Korean government to facilitate investment in smart cities in Punjab. He said the government had decided to take up a project to create two smart cities at New Chandigarh and Mohali on its own. "We are committed to move fast to facilitate investors who want to set up such cities", the Deputy CM said adding the smart city project would also be a good opportunity for Korean companies to showcase their expertise. The Korean Minister said Korea was keen to offer international cooperation in establishment of smart cities and that possible ways for collaboration with Punjab would be firmed in due course.Mr Badal also invited Korea to participate in the Invest Punjab summit being held in end October and become a partner State. He also stressed this was the right time to invest in Punjab. "We have got all our parameters right. We have the best road and air connectivity and are also number one in the country as far as ease of doing business is concerned". He said Punjab would be an ideal place for setting up manufacturing of solar voltaic cells due to huge increase in solar plants.
"Punjab could also emerge as a natural hub for electronic manufacturing due to its own consumer base", he added.The Deputy CM also inked a MOU with Indian Chamber of Commerce in Korea (ICCK) to promote Korean investment in Punjab. The mou was signed between the head of ICCK and Invest Punjab CEO Anirudh Tewari. As part of this MOU Invest Punjab will establish a permanent representative office in South Korea. In another development, an Invest Punjab delegation led by chief parliamentary secretary N K Sharna reviewed the manner in which the Korean Development Institute was guiding public policy for Korea from the new city of Sejong. It was also highlighted how public policy could result in an economic turnaround.The Deputy Chief Minister was accompanied by Industrial Advisor to the Chief Minister - Kamal Oswal, Media Advisor to the Deputy CM - Jangveer Singh, Industrialist Sanjiv Garg of Garg Acrylics and Senior Officials including Mr Viswajeet Khanna, P S Aujla and Rahul Tewari. EOM