Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Tuesday sought reports from ludhiana Deputy Commissioner and the Punjab State Industries and Export Corporation (PSIEC) on the poor focal point infrastructural development in the region’s focal points and industrial estates.
At the same time, the Chief Minister assured the industry that his Government would provide all the necessary facilities to facilitate industrial development in ludhiana.
The report was sought after the issue was raised by a delegation of ludhiana industrialists and the CII representatives which met the Chief Minister on Tuesday. The meeting was also attended, among others, by a delegation of Avon Cycles.
The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) also submitted a 10-point agenda to the Chief Minister for the development of industries in ludhiana, pointing that the condition of link roads in industrial areas was really bad affecting the movement of goods and personnel and also giving a negative impression to international clients visiting the city.
CII agenda pointed that even the SPVs and other similar joint working groups, formed in some places with the participation of the local administration, industry and society, were struck in procedural delays resulting in little or no progress on the ground.
Pointing out that the one of the provisions of SPV specifies that 25 percent of the money be collected from the public, the delegation said that the Government should either compensate this part from the taxes it collects from industry or it should set up a dedicated authority that should take the responsibility of getting this money collected from SPV members or public.
Expressing his inability to provide any fiscal incentives or packages to industry considering the state’s critical financial health, Chief Minister made it clear that his government would extend all possible help to them in creating a favourable environment for their growth.
Chief Minister asked for reports from the DC and the PSIEC on the failure to develop the region over the past eight-nine years.
The delegation requested for the development of a cycle track in ludhiana city as part of its development as a Smart City. Besides, they also demanded airport in the city, to which the Chief Minister said that he had asked the concerned officials to initiate the process of acquiring land to extend the runway to four kilometres.
In response to their demand for a permanent exhibition ground in ludhiana for the industry, Capt Amarinder said that he had already approved the same.
Other issues raised by the delegation included uninterrupted power supply, waiver of additional cess on power supplied to large units, creation of adequate housing facilities for migrant labour and work force, environment protection and pollution check, as well as support for the local MSMEs in technology up-gradation and modernization.