Additional Chief Secretary Industries Vini Mahajan today said that due to investment friendly policies of the Punjab government around 300 applicants have evinced keen interest in evincing investing Rs 50,000 crore in the state through invest Punjab portal.Interacting with the media persons here at the local circuit house, the Additional Chief Secretary, accompanied by Deputy Commissioner Jalandhar Mr. Varinder Kumar Sharma, said that since its launching by the Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh, the portal has got massive response from the investors. She said that the portal was a first of its initiative across the country which provides ease of doing business in the state. Mrs. Mahajan said that the portal would give a major impetus to the investments in the coming days and put the state back on high growth trajectory.The Additional Chief Secretary further said that cordial labour relations, very strong infrastructure and excellent air, road and rail connectivity were amongst the strong drivers of industry in the state. She said that Punjab was acclaimed by the investors for these factors due which there was a tremendous potential of industrial development in the state. Mrs. Mahajan said that the state government was looking forward for major industrial development in state in the core sectors of sports, leather, chemicals, pharma, apparel, textiles, Rail components and others.
The Additional Chief Secretary also said that the state government was mulling to come up with 1000 acre industrial area at Rajpura on Amritsar- Kolkatta Rail corridor. Likewise, she said that new Focal point exclusively for plywood industry at Hoshiarpur was also on cards. Mrs. Mahajan said that 380 acre cycle valley was coming up near Ludhiana for which 100 acre land has been already allotted.
The Additional Chief Secretary also revealed that the state government’s decision to provide power to industrial units at Rs 5 per unit has acted as a catalyst in reviving industrial growth in state. Citing the example of Mandi Gobind Garh, she said that the power consumption in this industrial town has witnessed a robust increase of 10%, which was indicative of the enhanced industrial production. Mrs. Mahajan further said that the state government was spending Rs 1500 crore annually to provide subsidy to the industrialists.Dwelling on another point, the Additional Chief Secretary said that the state government was also laying due thrust on Agriculture value addition for which the industry department was tying up with the agriculture department and the State Farmers’ Commission. She said that the areas of value addition were being indentified and targets would be set accordingly. Mrs. Mahajan gave example of how value addition of potato crop could immensely benefit the farmers of the state on one hand and give fillip to industrial growth of the state on other.The Additional Chief Secretary also said that due to the strenuous efforts made by Punjab government the work on construction of perishable cargo has been started at the Amritsar International airport. She said that the work on this ambitious project would be completed within four months. Mrs. Mahajan said that efforts were also afoot for opening the cargo service from Mohali International airport also.Earlier during a meeting with the local industrialists, the Additional Chief Secretary assured them that state government was committed for providing industrial friendly atmosphere to them at every cost. She said that the state government would take necessary steps for resolving their issues like enhacing deadline of NGT’s direction on groundwater usage, VAT refund, construction of Dhogri and Lamma Pind- Jandu Singha road, securing of interests of the industrialists in international market and others.Earlier, officers of district administration led by Deputy Commissioner welcomed the Additional Chief Secretary.On the occasion, Commissioner Municipal Corporation Mr. Vishesh Sarangal, Joint Commissioner Municipal Corporation Ms. Aashika Jain, Assistant Commissioners Mr. Himanshu Jain and Dr. Jai Inder Singh, Sub Divisional Magistrate Mr. Sanjiv Sharma, Deputy Director Mr. Vishaw Bandhu, GM Industries Mr. Amarjit Singh, Senior Industry Officer Mr. Manjeet Lally, Functional Manager Mr. Hari Pal and others were also present.