Punjab's New Industrial
Policy soon- Badal
Ludhiana May 25, 2008
Punjab Chief Minister, Mr. Parkash Singh Badal today said that
new industrial Policy of the state would be formulated soon in
consultation with the representatives of the Small, Medium and
large Industry, once the draft report is submitted by UNIDO to
the Govt. to make it more economically viable and investor friendly.
Addressing a well attended function of industrialists organized
to disburse Capital Subsidy at Guru Nanak Bhawan here, Mr. Badal
said that the Industrial growth , which had been sluggish over
past many years was needed to be boosted up, because our agrarian
economy had already reached a point of saturation and was nearly
stagnant. He however pointed out that the occupation of agriculture
had become non enumerative and un viable in view of escalation
in the prices of agriculture in puts and industrialization was
the only answer to this problem. Mr. Badal said that the state
government was committed to disburse capital subsidy backlog of
Rs 100 crore during the current financial year and had already
disbursed capital subsidy amounting to Rs. 150 crore from Feb.
2007 to march 2008. He said that the Subsidy backlog was pending
since 1996 and the previous congress government had not released
even a single penny during its tenure of full five years. In the
function, the Chief Minister disbursed the capital subsidy of
Rs 24.35 crore among 404 Urban Industrial Units from the state.
Elaborating the plans for strengthening the infrastructure for
the growth of industry, Mr. Badal said that the state government
had given main stress to execute new power projects with capacity
ranging from 5000 to 6000 MW power in the state, which would definitely
be completed during the coming 5 years and the state would be
surplus in power, which he claimed was the most importance ingredient
for the industrial growth. He said that in addition 2 Super Thermal
Power Stations one at Talwandi Sabo of 1800 MW and another at
Rajpura of 1200 MW were being set up and will be operational by
2012. He added that in the infrastructure sector , the state government
had also planned to substantially improve the air- connectivity
of the state and work on the setting up of second International
Airport at Mohali had already been initiated with fast speed and
hoped that within a period of 2 to 3 months, the flights would
start operating. He also claimed that Shanewal Airport in Ludhiana
district was being upgraded for domestic flights, which would
facilitate the industrialists visiting from other parts of country
to Punjab. To further improve the air connectivity, the government
had also set up a civil terminal at Bathinda, he added.
The Chief Minister said that for the proper infrastructure development
for the industry in Punjab, the government had constituted Infrastructure
Development Council with an eminent developers in private sectors
and to ensure the involvement of industry in the decision making,
Development Boards for large and medium scale industry, small
scale industry and trade have been constituted to suggest policy
measures in the state. The CM said that there have been some major
constraints in the way of industrial development in Punjab due
to Tax holiday and concessions to neighboring states ( HP, J and
K, Uttaranchal ) by Government of the India and state government
had been repeatedly taking up the matter with GOI to take steps
to neutralize the effect of tax holidays in the adjoining areas
, but of no avail. He added that the government of Punjab is filing
a petition in the Supreme Court of India under article 131 of
Constitution of India to quash the Tax holiday given to the neighboring
states to save our SSI industry. Mr. Badal said that despite these
difficulties, state government is determined to accelerate the
pace of Industrial Development. To facilitate the movement of
industrial goods from the state, a Freight Corridor was being
set up by the government of India from Calcutta to Delhi has been
extended up to Ludhiana. Mr. Badal said that he had requested
the government of India to extent this up to Amritsar as this
would facilitate and boost the export from Punjab to gulf countries.
He disclosed that that government was also facilitating the development
of industrial parks in the state and four Textile Park Projects
have already been approved these include two textile parks at
Ludhiana and demanded from GOI to sanction more textile parks
for Punjab in view of availability of cotton in the state.
The Chief Minister further said that the government was in touch
with government of India to avail maximum assistance under the
various development schemes and programmes of Government of India,
for this, he personally held a number of meetings with the Prime
Minister and concerned Union Ministers. He said that his government
was taking steps to further up grade infrastructure in Punjab
by four/ six laning of roads, construction of road over bridges,
rail over bridges and construction of modern bus terminals. Mr.
Badal said that government was also in the process of enacting
SEZ Act which will facilitate the development of Special Economic
Zones in Punjab and 15 Special Economic Zone projects have been
approved by the government of India for state of Punjab and 3
more projects have been recommended to GOI for approval. He informed
that the state government has finalized the procedure for approval
and monitoring of the implementation of mega projects and grant
of clearance by concerned departments to approved mega projects
in a time bound manner is being regularly monitored. He said that
12 New Mega Industrial Manufacturing projects with the investment
of Rs 1729,59 crore have been sanctioned after the approval of
the new procedure. Besides 1 mega IT Park project with the investment
of Rs 176 crore has been sanctioned for Ludhiana. He said that
in additional 6 more Mega Projects with proposed investment of
about Rs 10,000 crore are in pipe line for approval by the government.
He said that infrastructure in Industrial Focal Points was being
upgraded and an amount of Rs 20 crore has been allocated by the
state government for his purpose.
Mr. Manoranjan Kalia Local Bodies and Industrial Minister Punjab
said that the industry contributed towards a major share in terms
of GDP of the state and the Punjab Government was according full
attention to settle all the problems of the industry and to accelerate
industrial growth. He said that the state government was committed
to the arrears of pending Capital Subsidy Mr. Rajinder Bhadari
State President BJP, Mr. Hira Singh Gabria Jails Minister, Mr.
Sharanjit Singh Dhillon MP, Mr. Harish Rai Dhanda CPS, Mr. S.S.
Channy Principal Secretary Industries and Mr. Inderjit Singh Pardhan
Chairman SSI Board also addressed the function.
Among others who were present on this occasion included Mr.
Harish Bedi MLA, Mr. Ajay Kumar Mahajan Additional Principal Secretary
to CM, Mr. Sumer Singh Gurjar Deputy Commissioner, Mr. Ishwar
Singh DIG Ludhiana Range, Mr. Vikas Partarp Singh Commissioner
MC, Mr Satish Dhanda Chairman State Board for Medium Industry,
Mr. Madan Lal Bagga Deputy Chairman Board for Trade and Commerce,
Mr. Harkam Singh Gyaspur Mayor MC, Mr. Anil Sareen State Secretary
BJP, Mr. O P Bhardwaj District President BJP and Mr. Amarjit Singh
Bhatia Vice President District SAD.
BADAL ASSURES PSGPC FOR RELAXATION IN VISA NORMS
Chandigarh May 25: -
The Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal today assured
the joint delegation of Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee
(PSGPC) and International Commission of Human Rights (ICHR) Pakistan
that he would soon take up the issue with the Ministry of External
Affairs, Government of India for relaxation in visa norms to enable
the people to visit their places of faith besides socializing
with their relations settled across both sides of Indo-Pak border.
An assurance to this effect was given by Mr. Badal to the delegation
led by PSGPC President Jathedar Bishan Singh, which called on
him at his residence this evening in the presence of President
Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee Jathedar Avtar Singh.
Mr. Badal expressed his keen desire that people of both these
countries should freely and frequently visit to meet their relations
besides promoting economic and cultural ties as we shared a common
rich cultural heritage and legacy. He said this could only be
feasible if the visa restrictions imposed by the governments are
further relaxed.
Mr. Badal informed the PSGPC President Jathedar Bishan Singh
that he had already taken up the issue with the Prime Minister
Dr. Manmohan Singh and Union External Affairs Mr. Pranab Mukharji
for allowing a direct corridor to Gurdwara Sri Guru Nanak Dev
ji at Kartarpur (on Pakistan side) via Dera Baba Nanak in Gurdaspur
District which was hardly 3 K.Ms to facilitate the devotees to
pay obeisance at this sacred place related with the founder of
Sikhism Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji. Apart from this the two issues;
one, opening of a Visa center at Amritsar and another allowing
the boarding facility to the passengers of Samjauta Express from
Amritsar railway station would also be taken up on the priority,
added Mr. Badal.
The visiting delegation thanked the Chief Minister for declaring
them state guests and making all the arrangements of their boarding
and lodging at New Delhi and Ajmer Sharif where they were slated
to visit their holy shrine.
The Chief Minister accompanied by his Advisor Dr. Daljit Singh
Cheema, Principal Secretary D.S. Guru and Special principal Secretary
K.J.S. Cheema.
The delegation consisted of member PSGPC S. Rawail Singh, S.
Amrik Singh and Kaka Singh both members Sub-Committee Gurdwara
Sri Janam Asthan Nankana Sahib besides the members of ICHR Pakistan
which included its senior vice Chairman Ch. Nasir. M. Ali, Chief
organizer Hafiz Liaqat Ali Zia, Chairperson Women wing Ms. Mehnaz
Atta Chaudhary, President District Sargodha Pakistan Javed Iqbal
Tiwana and Member ICHR Syed Kamalu Din.
Sukhbir Singh Badal today
hailed the outcome of the Amritsar (South) by-poll results
Chandigarh May 25 – The Shiromani Akali Dal president Mr.
Sukhbir Singh Badal today hailed the outcome of the Amritsar (South)
by-poll results as a "a forceful mandate for good governance
and a stamp of popular approval on the futuristic vision unfolded
by the by the SAD-BJP alliance over the past 16 months."
In a statement here, Mr. Badal said that the significant increase
in the percentage from 62.5 to 65.5% in votes polled by the ruling
combine since February 2007 was also a strong rebuff to the negative
and destructive politics pursued by the Congress party and its
leaders." Mr. Badal said that that twin agenda of upliftment
of the poor as well as the thrust towards making Punjab a front-ranking
global state stands ratified by the people of the state who cut
across religious and class lines to give a strong pat on the back
on the SAD-BJ government." The margin of victory would have
been astounding if the turn out had been as heavy as last time,
he said.
The SAD president further said that the verdict had filled him
and his party with "even greater humility and a sense of
increased commitment and responsibility to serve the people of
Punjab"
Mr. Badal said that the free and fair conduct of the poll "has
now robbed the Congress party of all excuses for its massive defeat."
He said that the six percent increase since February 2007 in the
SAD-BJP's margin of victory over the Congress clearly showed the
growing popularity of the policies and programmes being pursued
y he government headed by Sardar Parkash Singh Badal.
He SAD president thanked all his party workers, leaders, office
bearers and rank and file for working day and night to ensuring
this thumping win for the ruling alliance.