Punjab Investment Advisory Council (PAIC) on Saturday proposed establishment of 10 industrial clusters at various locations in the State where land banks are already available to quick start investment in specific industries.
The Advisory Council meeting, which was chaired by Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal, also agreed to his proposal to take over development of roads and parks in ludhiana as part of a ‘Green ludhiana’ initiative which will be completely managed by the industry.
Advisory Council’s sub-committee on industry, chairman SK Munjal, while presenting a report commissioned from the Boston Consulting Group by the Council, said that Punjab should focus on inviting interest in specific industries for which clusters could be established wherever land banks are available. The report highlighted that land banks are available at Batala, Pathankot, Amritsar, Mattewara (ludhiana), Sirhind and Mohali, among others.
Munjal stressed that besides identifying industries and clusters, the State must develop the eco system at all these places which Sukhbir assured was already being done.Sukhbir informed the Council that the State Government was keen to establish clusters for the IT industry, agro-processing industry, textiles, hand tools, healthcare and education. The Advisory Council also agreed to a proposal by Sukhbir to take over development of all major roads and parks in ludhiana.
Council member Rakesh Bharti Mittal said that Punjab Industrial Adviser Kamal Oswal would be the convener on behalf of the Council for this initiative. Deputy Chief Minister requested the Council to form a committee for this purpose and come out with a mandate for greening ludhiana by December 1.
Among other suggestions, which came up in the Advisory Council meeting, was the need to take perishable food items out of Agriculture Produce Marketing Act (APMC).