Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal today assured Tata Sons Chairman Mr. Cyrus P Mistry that his government was committed to act as an enabler to fast track investment in the State even as Mr. Mistry commended him for taking the needed steps to create the right atmosphere for entrepreneurship in Punjab.The Deputy chief minister, who had a free wheeling discussion with the Tata head on various issues at a breakfast meeting here, told Mr Cyrus Mistry that his government had chalked out a strategy whereby entrepreneurs wishing to invest in the State would have utmost ease in doing business. Giving the example of three thermal power projects which are on the verge of completion, he said the reason for their success was that the government formed a company, took all necessary clearances and then bid out the projects. "Due to this we have succeeded in making the power projects a reality while such projects are languishing for want of clearances across the country", he said.
Listing the present priorities of the State government, Mr Sukhbir Badal said he was keen to ensure integrated development of cities in Punjab whereby one company could manage all services. Mr Mistry expressed interest in the proposal and said the group could manage all services on the pattern of that being done in Jamshedpur. Mr Mistry also said the group could also manage the bus service operations in the major cities including the Bus Rapid Transport System (BRTS) in Amritsar besides giving entire transport solutions for both Ludhiana and Amritsar. The Deputy CM said the State government was open to creation of a small monorail system in Amritsar which could connect both the bus stand and the railway station with the Darbar Sahab.
Mr Mistry also shared with the Deputy CM that his group could initiate corporate social responsibility exercises in Punjab with the development of skill centres across the State including a centre for excellence in Ropar. He said the group had drawn up a plan to train 10,000 youth as part of this initiative and that it would conduct both short and long term courses. Mr Badal on his part said he was keen that Tata develop a Skill University and conduct certified courses in various skills to make the youth of the State self employable. Meanwhile during the break fast meeting at which Mr Mistry relished the "chhole kulcha" of Amritsar, the Deputy CM also discussed some novel ideas with Mr Mistry. He said the government was keen to encourage solar power plants and that it was ready to pay entrepreneurs the subsidy which it was presently giving to the State power utility. He said once the entrepreneurs were paid off for their entire project, the power so generated would be an additional resource for the State.
The Tata Sons Chairman while evincing interest in all the projects proposed by the Deputy CM said the level of warmth and genuineness expressed by both him and Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal had not been experienced by him anywhere else in the country. "This is why we are back here so soon", he said adding the group was keen to take the various proposals being discussed to their logical conclusion. The Deputy Chief Minister was accompanied by Revenue and Information & Public Relations Minister Mr. Bikram Singh Majithia, Local Bodies Minister Mr. Anil Joshi, Industries Minister Mr. Madan Mohan Mittal and Chief Secretary Mr. Rakesh Singh.