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Niti Ayog to meet Punjab CM for industrial growth
A team of the Niti Ayog is carrying out a study in Jalandhar and Ludhiana for the development of hand tool manufacturing in the state.
The Niti Ayog will meet Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Singh Mann next month to discuss plans and policies for industrial growth and development in the state, with the focus mainly on Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).
Led by its senior adviser Sanjeet Singh, a team of Niti Ayog is carrying out a study in Jalandhar and Ludhiana for the development of hand tool manufacturing in the state. The Niti Ayog team on Tuesday evening met exporters and industrialists to hear their grievances and suggestions about promotion of industries in Punjab.
“We want to focus on Punjab. The Niti Ayog is not bothered about which government is in power in the state. Our aim is to see Punjab moving forward on the road of industrial development and revolution for which we are going to have a joint high-level meeting with the Punjab CM and other top officials in mid of October,” said Sanjeet.
“We are carrying a study on the hand tool manufacturing in Punjab and a report related to it will be submitted to the Union ministry concerned. The aim is make Punjab emerge as the hand tool capital in two months. Such studies will be carried out in other sectors, including sports, leather and seed manufacturing and many more in the near future,” he said.
“Our whole purpose is to bridge the gap between Punjab and the Centre to resolve the issues being faced by state industrialists. We will assist the government in making plans and policies related to industries, agriculture and social and physical infrastructure as it will boost the state economy. We are in constant touch with top officials of the state so that high-level meetings can be arranged in which stakeholders will also participate,” he said.
Gautam Kapoor, head of the exporters’ forum, said the industrialists from sports, leather and seed manufacturing, etc raised issues pertaining to free trade agreements, labour laws, high tax rates, shipping and freight charges and high cost of power in the state.
“The meeting was held in a very cordial manner in which the Niti Ayog team came to know about the ground realities. We are hopeful of having fruitful results. The Ayog has asked industrialists to prepare detailed presentations of issues and suggestions concerning different industries so that the matter could be taken up with the Union ministry of commerce and other sister departments,” Kapoor said.
