Congress MLAs from the border districts of Punjab on Tuesday claimed that the special industrial package demanded by state party president Partap Singh Bajwa for these districts would benefit the entire state.
In a joint statement, MLAs Sukhbinder Singh Sarkaria (Rajasansi), Rana Gurmit Sodhi (Guru Har Sahai), Parminder Singh Pinki (Ferozepur city), Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa (Dera Baba Nanak), Aruna Chaudhary (Dinanagar) and Charanjit Kaur Bajwa (Qadian) said Bajwa had written to the Prime Minister that the industry from Punjab was relocating to other states due to the special package given to three hill states by the BJP-led NDA government in 2003.
The Congress MLAs said if the special industrial package was extended to the six border districts, the existing industry in SAS Nagar, Ludhiana and other places, which is shifting to other states, would have the option of expanding in border areas.
The MLAs alleged that the SAD-BJP government led by Parkash Singh Badal had failed to set up any industrial units in border areas, where unemployment was highest in the state.
The Congress legislators said 274 industrial units had shifted out of Punjab between 2004 and 2010, of which 149 were from Batala and 23 from Amritsar.
{{/usCountry}}The Congress legislators said 274 industrial units had shifted out of Punjab between 2004 and 2010, of which 149 were from Batala and 23 from Amritsar.
{{/usCountry}}They said the industry in Ludhiana was relocating to other states due to the Punjab government's unfavourable policy. They added that the industrial policy-2013 announced by deputy CM Sukhbir Badal had failed to address problems of the existing industry.