The recently held Punjab Progressive Investors’ Summit has started showing desired results especially in the strategies evolved to make Punjab Power first surplus state in the country. This was disclosed by Sukhbir Singh Badal Deputy Chief Minister Punjab while laying the foundation stone of 34 MW of solar based Power Project to be set up by Azoor Energy Pvt. Ltd at Village Panjawa in Lambi constituency.Speaking on the occasion the Deputy Chief Minister said that MoUs worth Rs. 65000 have been signed during an exalted Punjab Progressive Investors’ Summit held in Punjab in December 2013 aiming at attracting massive investments by the top business houses from within and outside India. The Punjab government has also issued allotment letters to 26 companies for setting up of 250 MW solar energy projects and this present project was also one of such projects worth Rs. 350 Crore, said Mr. Badal. He further said that Punjab government has also formulated an extensive action plan to set up pollution free energy plants and under this plan as many as 26 companies have signed the required documents with the Punjab government. The projects would be commissioned in the state from June to December 2014. The deputy Chief Minster also said that at present 10 MW energy was being produced by the solar based energy projects in Punjab including Solar Energy Plant set up by PEDA at Phulokheri in district Bathinda while total 600 MW power is being produced by the non- conventional energy sources. He said that adequate attention would be paid to achieve the target of producing 1000 MW solar energy, 600 MW from Agro waste/ paddy straw, 250 MW from Mini Hydle Projects and 50 MW from solid waste material from urban areas. He also said that in the coming days major multinational companies like Cargill, Infosys and ITC would start their units as per the MoUs signed during the Punjab Investors’ Summit. Talking to media persons on the occasion, the main aim of organizing NRI Sammelan was not to motivate the NRIs to invest in Punjab but to strengthen the interactive approach between the NRIs and the Punjabis and to ensure spot settlement of their various issues.
Replying to another query on the Punjab Congress President Partap Singh Bajwa, Mr. Badal said that everybody knows about the “shady and suspicious background” of Bajwa and because of his unscrupulous affinity he was shielding the drug mafia in the state. He reiterated the strong will of the SAD-BJP government in the state to nab the smugglers and drug peddlers while the congress was protecting them.Earlier, Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal was welcomed by Mr. Harkanwal Singh Wadhwa, Chairman Azoor Pvt Ltd., Mr. Inderjit Singh Wadhwa, CEO and Co-founder Mr. Preet Sandhu. Mr. Wadhwa assured that the plant which was being set up in 170 acres of land would be completed within 5 months. As many as 800 people would be given direct employment. Appreciating the efforts of Punjab government to set up solar based power plants in the state, he said that his company has already signed MoUs for setting up of solar energy plants producing 150 MW power. Speaking on the occasion, Director PEDA Mr. Balaur Singh said that the department has evolved strategies, under the guidance of Mr. Bikram Singh Majithia, Minister for Non-Conventional Energy, to encourage non-conventional energy projects in Punjab. About 1.5 lakh bio-gas plants have been set up and 7000 new such plants would be set up in Punjab. The government has also given subsidy of Rs. 8000 per bio gas plant.Later as a major setback to the Congress party, Mr. Dilraj Singh a congress leader and nephew of District Congress President along with his hundreds of followers joined the Shiromani Akali Dal. Welcoming the leaders to the ambit of SAD, Mr. Badal also presented a siropao to Dilraj Singh.