Punjab CM assures operationalisation support to industry

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Friday assured industry of his government's full support to ensure 100 per cent ...

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Friday assured industry of his government's full support to ensure 100 per cent operationalisation over the next few days, pointing to the huge opportunity they had to grow in view of the increasing number of companies looking to shift from China.

His government was already in touch with several countries to invite them to invest and set up industrial units in Punjab, said Amarinder Singh, adding he was confident that the state would be able to attract a lot of industry from China.

Promising to take their suggestions into account to facilitate the revival of the state's economy post-Covid lockdown, the Chief Minister underscored the role being played by industry in the development of Punjab, and their continued efforts to restore normal business in these difficult circumstances.

Interacting with industry players at a virtual conference, the Chief Minister thanked them for taking on the difficult challenge of resuming operations in the midst of the pandemic, and despite the difficulties caused by the various curbs in place to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

With 78 per cent industry already having resumed operations, and 68 per cent of the migrant labour choosing to stay back in the state, the Chief Minister directed the Industry Department to expedite the process of providing clearances and ensuring further ease of business to out the industry back on track at the earliest.

Exuding confidence of early resumption of the remaining industry over the next few days, the Chief Minister said no train had left with migrant labour from the state on Friday, which was a good sign and indicative of the fact that the workers were satisfied with the arrangements made for their care during the curfew.

Industry Minister Sunder Sham Arora said in addition to the large number of workers who had chosen to stay back in the state, there were many who wanted to come back in the light of the opening up of an increasing number of industrial units.

The state was planning to write to the Centre to arrange for trains to bring back such migrant labourers keen to come back from other states to Punjab, he said.

Earlier, industrialists suggested various short-term measures and urgent interventions to support the economic revival of the state.

Representatives from a wide spectrum of sectors, including manufacturing, information technology, start-ups, agriculture, healthcare and pharma, education and skill development came out with general and sector-specific recommendations to put industrial growth in the state back on track.

( With inputs from IANS )