'Food processing has big potential in region'

Amritsar, December 10

The food processing industry has a huge opportunity in Amritsar and Jalandhar areas, stated Saket Dalmiya, president, PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry, today during an interaction with the media. He said the region between Amritsar and Jalandhar is known as the food belt and promoting food processing industry here would not only benefit the government and industry but the local farmers would be hugely benefited.

Need govt support

Saket Dalmiya, president, PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry

Many of the problems faced by the farmers, especially in marketing their produce, would be automatically solved as food processing units would create the necessary demand.

Dalmiya said tourism, agriculture and textile are the mainstay of industries in the state. The government should take special care of these areas while formulating its policy, he said. The PHD president said the MSME sector would progress only if the government and private sector entrepreneurs work together.

He said at present there is a problem of skilled artisans in front of industrialists. “For this, the government should organise workshops at different places to encourage the youth to learn new technology,” he said. Demanding the construction of a world class convention hall in Amritsar, Dalmiya said the PHD Chamber PITEX should be expanded for which the cooperation of the government is necessary.

He also demanded a solution to the problems being faced by industrialists in the banking sector. He added that the conditions should be eased for giving loans to small traders and businessmen. “Small traders and businessmen will be strengthened by this,” he said.