CHANDIGARH: Punjab Government will develop a Wood Park in Hoshiarpur soon with 30 units of plywood manufacturing as the land for this project has been earmarked, which would further create 10000 direct and 8000 indirect job opportunities.
Disclosing this here today, the Industries and Commerce Minister Sunder Sham Arora, while addressing press conference, said that the concerted efforts of Punjab Government for industrial growth had secured investments worth over Rs. 71, 000 crore during last four years besides ensuring 2.7 lakh job opportunities under these industrial projets. The Minister informed that requisite approvals for setting up of Wood Park have been obtained and the park would be developed on nearly 58 acres of land chunk adjoining Hoshiarpur.
Despite severe health crisis amid global COVID-19 pandemic, the year-2020 itself witnessed industrial investment to the tune of Rs. 10, 461 crore with major projects in different sectors including agro, food-processing, chemical, automobile, textile, education, renewable energy, light engineering etc. Under the Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh’s vision for ‘ease of doing business’, the Industries and Commerce Department has successfully ensured the 100 percent execution of 45 reforms envisioned by the Union Government under its State Reform Action Plan besides implementing 285 reforms out of 301 under District Reform Action Plan while the remaining would be accomplished before March, 31, 2021.
Sunder Sham Arora pointed out that the ranking of the Punjab Bureau of Investment Promotion as one of the top performers among 20 states investment promotion agencies was the result of stupendous efforts of Punjab Government made for holistic development and growth of industrial sector in the state.
Listing some other major endeavours of Punjab Government to boost industry, Sunder Sham Arora said that after unveiling Industrial & Business Development Policy (IBDP) the State had provided attractive incentives to industry like GST reimbursement, exemptions in electricity duty, stamp duty, property tax, subsidy in employment generation, capital subsidy (for IT Units) besides exempting market fee for food sector. The Minister also pointed out that under IBDP 2017 different categories of Large and MSME Industrial Units with investments over Rs., 5844 crore were provided incentives worth Rs. 1090 crore. As many as 13 industrial units have been migrated from FIIP (R)-2013 to IBDP-2017 for getting higher incentives, of which 11 units are provided incentives to the tune of Rs. 452 crore in different categories.
In a significant decision, the State Government has extended subsidy of Rs. 26 crore to 168 units under the previous policies of the year 1989, 1992, 1996 and 2003. On the other hand, 12 industrial units were granted eligibility certificates to avail fiscal incentives of Rs. 478.79 crore.
REVIVAL OF MANDI GOBINDGARH INDUSTRY: Buoyed over the resumption of industry at Mandi Gobindgarh, Sunder Sham Arora pointed out that 9 industrial units have restated their ventures while 31 units have got their electricity load enhanced whereas 64 LS connections were given between April 1, 2018 and June 30, 2019.
MEGA INDUSTRIAL PARKS TO COME UP: Referring to the establishment of new industrial parks, Sunder Sham Arora informed that Bathinda would have Bulk Drug Park at a cost of Rs. 18, 00 crore on 1300 acres of land as the proposal in this regard had already been sent to the Union Government. Similarly, Rajpura will witness development of Medical Devices Park at a cost of 180 crore spreading over 210 acres.
Giving a major push to Pharma sector in the state, Punjab Government is also being setup Integrated Pharam Park at Wazirabad in Fatehgarh Sahib at an estimated cost of Rs. 160 crore on 130 acres of land, said the Minister.
Likewise, the Punjab Government has already identified 15 clusters, of which four have got approval from the Union Government namely Hi Tech Cluster Mohali, Oil Expeller part Ludhiana, Garmenting Cluster Ludhiana and Foundry Cluster at Kapurthala for which grant of Rs. 15 crore would be provided by the Centre. The Minister informed that the Hi-Tech Cluster Mohali and Oil Expeller part had been completed while the work on remaining ones were on full pace.
Three more clusters including Auto Tech Cluster Ludhiana, Sewing Machine Cluster Ludhiana and Cutting Tool Cluster at Patiala have got in-principle approval from the Government, said the Minister.
FILLIP TO INDUSTRIAL INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT IN INDUSTRIAL ESTATE/FOCAL POINTS: Ensuring massive infrastructural reforms in industrial estates and focal points across Punjab, the State Government initiated work on 17 different projects at a cost of Rs. 146.22 crore out of which four projects had already been completed while the work on eight was in progress whereas the work on five projects is on the verge to commence. The Minister said that roads, drainage system, street lights, sewage treatment plants and other basic amenities were being strengthened in the said areas to further facilitate industry and industrial work force. The State Government had also set-aside Rs. 29 crore to upgrade STPs and tertiary treatment in five focal points, said the Minister adding that Rs. 40 crore is being spent for the all round development in focal points of Ludhiana.
Realising the cycle valley project at Ludhiana, the State Government under the Chief Minister Captian Amarinder Singh is incurring Rs. 411 crore to get this project accomplished and operational.
COVID-19 & MAKE IN PUNJAB ENDEAVOUR: Punjab Government extended and ensured fulsome support for the smooth run of industry despite the COVID-19 crisis thus encouraging the Textile Industry towards manufacturing of PPE and NP-95 masks. Sunder Sham Arora informed that in Punjab 141 PPE manufacturer and 16 NP-95 mask manufacturing units were established and their products had been got approved from the Union Government besides securing orders worth Rs. 300 crore for these units as well as ensuring export of their products.
Elaborating about the Punjab Right to Business Act, the Minister said that under this Act all the Deputy Commissioners had been authorised to provide necessary NOCs for setting up of new industrial units in the state. It is pertinent to mention here that the Hoshiarpur District Administration has provided the clearance to an industry within eight days after receiving the application.
The Minister also announced that the industrial activities were put on accelerated pace especially in Border and Kandi areas with launching of new industrial units in these places by providing several fiscal incentives.
Meanwhile, the Principal Secretary Industries Alok Shekhar also informed that the State Government has approved Punjab Innovation Mission to encourage Start-ups in the state for which Rs. 150 crore had been set aside. He said that under this mission 10 percent share would be given by the state government while the remaining amount is to be incurred by the industrial units. Similarly, another program is also being started in collaboration with the World Bank to further give a big push to industrial activities in Punjab, said Arora.
Prominent amongst those present on the occasion included Senior Vice Chairman Large Industries Ramesh Joshi, MD PSIEC Neelima and Deputy Commissioner Apneet Riyait.