The inclusion of Haryana’s upcoming satellite towns of Sonipat and Panipat in Centre’s ambitious “100 smart cities project,” can help attract fresh investments worth about Rs200-300 crore in the region, according to a just-concluded ASSOCHAM strategy paper. “Rise in industrial investment in sectors like automobile, biotechnology, business process outsourcing (BPO), education, food processing, healthcare, hospitality, information technology, infrastructure, petrochemicals, real estate, sports goods, textile and others would create about 2-2.5 lakh direct and indirect jobs in this region during the course of next 2-3 years,” noted the strategy paper titled “Sonipat & Panipat: Strong case for inclusion in Smart Cities’ Project,’ conducted by The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM).
“Strategic location with proximity to Delhi, speedy development of Kundli-Palwal-Manesar (KMP) Expressway, establishment of world-class educational institutes in Rajiv Gandhi Education City, availability of vast residential/commercial spaces, availability of skilled/unskilled workforce, extension of metro rail services are certain key factors that can drive the growth of this region,” highlighted ASSOCHAM in a communication addressed to Haryana Chief Minister Manohar lal Khattar.
“Soaring realty prices in Delhi, Gurgaon and other neighbouring cities present significant business expansion opportunities for domestic and global industries and that is another key factor which makes both Sonipat and Panipat ideal for being developed as smart cities,” said DS Rawat, national secretary general of ASSOCHAM while releasing the chamber’s strategy paper. He said, “Providing tax rebate, concessions on development charges and other related subsidies can further boost economic growth of the region and help realise all-round development of Haryana.”
“As a smart city, both Sonipat and Panipat should be able to offer economic activities and employment opportunities to a wide section of their residents, regardless of their level of education, skills or income levels,” highlighted the strategy paper prepared by the ASSOCHAM Economic Research Bureau (AERB). The State Government and the industry should collaborate to support the required skill development for such activities in a big way as it would help both Sonipat and Panipat in developing required environment for creation of economic activities and employment opportunities, the paper added.
Haryana Government should identify comparative and unique advantages of both the cities together with core competencies in specific areas of economic activities and promote them aggressively by developing the required institutional, physical, social and economic infrastructure and attracting investors and professionals to take up such activities, further noted the ASSOCHAM paper. Haryana has enjoyed a positive track-record in terms of overall development including an average annual growth rate of almost nine per cent during 2005-06 and 2012-13 thereby staying ahead of the national growth rate of eight per cent during the same period.
Apart from this, Haryana also maintains lead in implementation of investment pledged by private and public sources in the state over the years. “All such factors together make Sonipat and Panipat ideal cities which can match the potential of Gurgaon and can establish themselves on the global arena.” With an annual turnover of over Rs 7,300 crore, there are over 13,000 registered industrial units in the small and medium industries sector employing over 76,000 daily workers in Sonipat.
On the other hand, there are over 4,000 registered industrial units in the small and medium industries sector employing over 95,000 daily workers in Panipat, with an annual turnover of over Rs 62 lakh. The ASSOCHAM stated, “Development of modern apartments, commercial complexes and business centers in and around Sonipat and Panipat have changed their landscape, besides many real estate companies have lined up mega townships and malls in the region.”