Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi on Tuesday assured businessmen of creating conducive ecosystem for investment in the State, reiterating his Government’s commitment to act as a facilitator showing ‘zero tolerance’ for political or bureaucratic corruption, negative attitude, delays and inertia.
In his keynote address at the plenary session of 4th Progressive Punjab Investors Summit 2021, the CM said that Punjab would live up to their expectations as it is the best place to do business in India.
Expressing his gratitude to virtual participants on the first day of the two-day summit based on the theme of ‘Progressive Punjab - A story of Partnership, Delivery and Growth: Investors Reassured’, he said their suggestions and input would help the State Government to fine-tune the existing industrial policy by incorporating requisite amendments to make it more investor-friendly.
First-hand awareness
Mr. Channi said he came from a humble background and had gone through day-to-day challenges faced by a common man and has first-hand knowledge of their problems. “I have also seen that aspiring young generation of Punjab wants to do something big and I am committed to fulfil their dreams. It is unable to do this without you....without your support,” he said. He termed the industrialist as wealth creators in the society and a source of opportunities to cherish the aspirations of State’s youth.
Exhorting the industry tycoons, Mr. Channi said: “You have the capital, you have the risk taking capacity and you have business ideas. I have the will, I have the intent and I have the commitment. I give my commitment to you that our Government will work with you at every step to see that nothing from the Government hinders your speed or create hurdles in your business plans.”
Mr. Channi said he aspired to improve State’s ranking from top 10 to top 5 in terms of attracting Foreign Direct Investments (FDIs). He said the State has developed a land bank of 6,000 acres with plug and play facilities and created an efficient skill development ecosystem with active participation of industry. Punjab Skill Development Mission has also been revamped to cater to futuristic skills for industry.
Industrial collaboration
The Chief Minister briefly enumerated the contribution of several companies including International Tractors Limited with Japanese collaboration Yanmar India at Hoshiarpur, India’s largest petroleum refinery in private sector — HMEL at Bathinda, ITC’s biggest food processing unit of North India at Kapurthala, Aarti Steel — a part of global value chain of EV giant Tesla — at Ludhiana, Sun Pharmaceutical facilities at Mohali in Tonsa, Trident Unit at Barnala and Hero Cycles in the industrial development of State. Mr. Channi said that all this would not have been possible without the great Punjabi spirit and congenial atmosphere in the State.
Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal lauded the contribution of industry stalwarts in scripting a new chapter of industrialisation in the State, as Punjab has already reached a point of saturation in agriculture and boosting industry is the need of the hour.
