New ‘Make in Punjab’ promotion policy to be drafted, says Sukhbir
Punjab deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal announced on Monday here that the state government would come up with a new policy under “Make in Punjab” to encourage the local industry with growth incentives.
Punjab deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal announced on Monday here that the state government would come up with a new policy under “Make in Punjab” to encourage the local industry with growth incentives.
Presiding over a series of meetings with owners of small- as well as large-scale enterprises, Sukhbir said the Punjab government was committed to reviving the existing units along with attracting new industry. “My aim is to provide entrepreneurs with congenial atmosphere, liberal policies, and online facilities for overall progress and job opportunities in Punjab,” he added.
Empowering the industrial associations to develop and maintain the existing focal points, the deputy CM said that by January 1, special purpose vehicles (SPVs) would be set up in each industrial area under the new policy. “The SPVs would collect taxes from industrialists and spend this money on the development of industrial areas. This will solve the problem of the requirement of basic amenities at the focal points,” he said.
Accepting the businessmen’s demands, Sukhbir said payments to the industrial labour by cheque would be deferred by December 31 and alternative arrangements made in consultations with the labour department. He asked the excise and industry departments to form an advisory committee of small-scale manufacturers and directed chief secretary Sarvesh Kaushal to convene its meeting.
He said the excise department would scrutinise tax assessment cases of only last three years instead of five, and go back five years only if default was detected. With a view to providing taxpayers with online facilities and query platform, he asked them to upload their email IDs on the department portal.
He declared VAT (value-added tax) retention and power incentives even for the expansion of existing units, and promised a new power policy to bring tariff below `5 per unit for industry. Saying the government had excluded steel industry from the negative list, he promised exhibition halls in Ludhiana, Jalandhar and Amritsar.
Industry and commerce minister Madan Mohan Mittal, who was present, said different rules governing the industrial estates and focal points would be amalgamated, empowering Punjab State Industrial Development Corporation to administer the allottees. He proposed a 200-acre “Wood Park” at Anandpur Sahib to promote plywood and timber industry in the Kandi (sub-mountainous) area.
Chief parliamentary secretary NK Sharma; CM’s advisers on industry Rajinder Gupta and Kamal Oswal; chief secretary Sarvesh Kaushal; and principal secretary (housing, labour, and forests) Vishwajit Khanna were also present.
Other announcements
SPVs by January 1 to collect taxes from industrialists for spending on industrial areas
Payments to industrial labour by cheque to be deferred by December 31
Excise and industry departments to form advisory committee of small-scale manufacturers
Industrial associations empowered to develop and maintain focal points
New power policy to bring tariff below Rs 5 per unit for industry
Tax assessment cases of only last three years to be scrutinised
VAT retention and power incentives even for the expansion of existing units
Steel industry off negative list
Exhibition halls to come up in Ludhiana, Jalandhar and Amritsar
‘Wood Park’ proposed at Anandpur Sahib to promote plywood, timber industry