Need to link industrial growth to agriculture: Abhimanyu

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 29

Haryana Industries Minister Capt Abhimanyu today emphasised the need to link the industrial growth to the agriculture sector.

“In agriculture-based economies such as Haryana and Punjab, emphasis must be on agro-based industry,” he said at a seminar on ‘Role of Industry in Economic Development of Northern Western States: Policy and Perspective’ organised by the Institute of Development Communication (IDC) here today.

He said the region should not merely focus on the ease-of-doing business, but also evolve strategies to make the industry competitive globally.

Former Chief Secretary PK Chaudhary said that after the launch of the Centre’s ‘Make in India’ programme, there was a scramble among states to lure investors and create an environment conducive to them.

In his keynote address, Planning Commission former member Prof Abhijit Sen said: “We cannot think of agriculture as the base of our economy and focus on it entirely.”

He said there was need to create livelihoods that were less reliant on agriculture after 10 years. “The motive of ‘Make in India’ is not to produce more, but to create more jobs.”

Industry Secretaries of both Haryana and Punjab Devender Singh and Anirudh Tewari, respectively, affirmed there was need to check corruption and lay out the red carpet to investors.

Sunil Sinha, Director, Public Finance, and Principal Economist at India Rating and Research, gave details about the performance of Haryana and Punjab.