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Capt calls Mohali the state capital, invites investment
Says govt is committed to provide full support to industry, wants state to be a formidable industrial base
Chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Friday said he considers Mohali as the state capital and referred to it as a favoured destination for investment.
Addressing business leaders at the valedictory session on the second day of the Progressive Punjab Investors Summit in Mohali on Friday, he said: “I will call it the state capital even if somebody likes it or not.”
The state capital is a contentious issue for Punjab as the demand is pending since 1966 when Haryana was carved out of Punjab. Both the states share a common capital — Chandigarh — but none of the two have the right over it, it being a union territory.
“I will give you what you want... tell me what’s needed. I’ll do everything that is needed (for facilitating the industry),” he said, pitching the state that offers a future, with the assurance of “peace and security” to protect investments.
Referring to key amendments in old laws governing the industry, the CM said his government was prepared to change decades-old policies to transform the state from an agricultural to industrial economy.
Considering importance of land for industry, Amarinder said his government had recently approved amendments to the Punjab Village Common Land (Regulation) Rules, 1964, which will enable development of industrial infrastructure projects by easing the land acquisition process for investors.
The positive results of the government’s efforts over the past two years, said the CM, were visible in grounding investments worth over ₹50,000 crore across different sectors, including food processing, manufacturing and light engineering petrochemicals and pharmaceuticals.
“The electricity demand from industry has increased by 26%, which indicates jump in industrial activity,” he said.
The CM further disclosed that his government had recently collaborated with the Software Technology Park of India (STPI), ISB Mohali and Punjab Technical University to set up a start-up Punjab hub at STPI.
Earlier, additional chief secretary, industry, Vini Mahajan read out a report on the two-day summit and said that state’s industries department would continue making efforts for bringing in investment in the state.
