Industrialists got Rs 222-cr incentive in 5 months: Punjab minister

Industries and Power Minister Sanjeev Arora said the events launched by the government under ‘Rising Punjab: From Suggestions to Solutions’ would prove to be effective in giving a major boost to industries in the state.

He attended the event held under the initiative to interact with industrialists in Jalandhar and visited three training centres of the Industries Department — Central Leather Research Institute, Institute of Hand Tools and Northern India Institute of Fashion Design.

Arora said last year, the government provided incentives worth Rs 90 crore to industrialists, and now, within just five months, incentives worth Rs 222 crore had already been given. He also said a new portal was being launched for setting up industries in the state, through which all approvals would be granted within 45 days under a single-window system. “The industrialists will not even have to wait for 45 days. If at all they have to, the approvals will be deemed to have been granted,” he said.

He said the government was providing a conducive environment for industries in the state, due to which industrialists had so far invested Rs 1.14 lakh crore. It had also provided employment to 4.5 lakh people, he added. He said through the One-Time Settlement Scheme, nearly 40-year-old issues had been resolved.

An appellate authority has been established for cancelled plots to ensure timely resolution. Furthermore, the clubbing and de-clubbing of industrial plots has been implemented, enabling entrepreneurs to make better use of their land. Industrialists can now also convert leasehold plots or sheds into freehold.

The government is also granting ownership of plots allotted on lease, so that entrepreneurs can conduct financial transactions with ease.

The Industries Minister further said 24 committees covering different sectors had been constituted to facilitate industrialists. No political members have been included in these committees, and ADCs have been added to ensure regular meetings.

He announced that a three-day Punjab Investment Summit would be organised in Mohali from March 13, for which industrialists, traders, NRIs and foreign companies would be invited to encourage maximum investment in the state.

He said a special authority was also being set up to ensure that the taxes paid by industrialists were spent only on their focal points and industrial parks. The state government has floated tenders worth Rs 100 crore to upgrade focal points, ensuring proper sewerage, roads, lighting and other basic facilities.

Besides providing security in industrial areas, the government is also taking special initiatives to make healthcare services available to the industrialists.

Later, he addressed the press during a press conference. On the occasion, Director Industries Surabhi Malik, Deputy Commissioner Himanshu Aggarwal, Police Commissioner Dhanpreet Kaur and Additional CEO (Invest Punjab) Rahul Chaba were also present.