CM leaves event midway, bizmen feel disappointed

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, February 6

The first meeting of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann with local industrialists ended in disenchantment.

Domestic flights soon

Efforts are afoot for starting domestic flights from Adampur, Halwara and Bhisiana airports to facilitate the industry. — Bhagwant Mann, CM

The industrialists who had planned to take up various issues with the CM said he did not wait to listen to them. After the opening remarks by the CEO Invest Punjab, KK Yadav, and CII Chairman, Rajesh Kharbanda, the Punjab CM took to dais. He reportedly gave a short speech after which he announced that he was to leave for Amritsar and that minister Anmol Gagan Mann, and the officials of the Industry Department would listen to them.

Most industrialists said they had gone to the venue planning to take up several issues with the CM but somehow the whole event lost its fizz when he left the venue alongwith minister Brahm Shankar Jimpa and local MLAs Sheetal Angural and Raman Arora.

Minister Anmol Gagan Mann took to the stage but insiders said not much could be discussed. Earlier in his speech, Mann talked about colour coding of stamp papers for the applicants from among the industrialists. For instance, a green stamp paper would mean that all the clearances have been given and an immediate issuance of the NOC for starting the industry. On the other hand, a red stamp paper would mean that some dues are to be paid.

The CM said the main motive of organising the session was to ensure maximum participation of the local industry in the progressive Punjab Investors' Summit slated to take place in Mohali on February 23-24. Bhagwant Mann said massive efforts are also afoot for starting domestic flights from Adampur, Halwara and Bhisiana airports to facilitate the industry. He said the state government would soon set up 20 dedicated Rural Industrial Hubs across the state. These hubs would be equipped with infrastructure to facilitate the industrialists in setting up their units, he said. The CM said he had gone to Chennai, Hyderabad and Mumbai to invite the industrialists to the summit.

Among the prominent industrialists who attended the event were Amarinder Singh Dhiman, Ashwani Victor, Mukhwinder Singh, Tajinder Singh Bhasin, Manish Arora, Charanjit SIngh Maingi, Gursharan Singh, Narinder Sagoo Tushar Jain and Mukul Verma.

Prominent amongst those present on the occasion included Brahm Shankar Jimpa, MLAs Raman Arora, Sheetal Angural, Balkar Singh and Inderjit Kaur Mann, Principal Secretary Industries Dilip Kumar, CEO Invest Punjab KK Yadav, Special Principal Secretary to CM Ravi Bhagat, Additional CEO Invest Punjab Sandeep Hans, Deputy Commissioner Jaspreet Singh and others.

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