Punjab’s new Industries Minister Madan Mohan Mittal has big plan for the small scale industry in the State. Putting the small scale units top on his priority list, Mittal on Monday made it clear that they would not be ignored “as earlier”.
At the same time, Mittal indicated that he is working out the mechanism to make his department function like a well-oiled machinery. Besides, he has also made up his mind to put out of operation the “rampant” illegal mining in the State.
Few minutes before taking over the charge of the new ministry, Mittal, in an informal chat with the media, assured the small industrialists “to be given every possible help” to save the dying units. “My first preference would be the small scale industries…though medium and large units will also be given proper help,” said Mittal.
He added that he would convene a meeting to know the requirements of the small scale industries and steps would be discussed to be taken up for their improvement. The Minister added that to save the dying cycling industries, “we will find out the ways”.
On the issue of illegal mining, Mittal admitted that such practice was taking place and needed to be checked.
Claiming to be the “first one to raise the issue of illegal mining in the State” when he was chairman of Ropar District Planning Board, Mittal said: “The issue of illegal sand mining will be taken up on priority as it needs to be checked and the department would also act upon the same.”
He, in fact, described the checking of illegal mining as the “tallest challenge” before him as the State industry minister.
Mittal added that a detailed policy would soon come up to regulate legal sand mining. “Holding of auction of sand mines by the Punjab and Haryana High Court was the major embarrassment for the industry department as it could not generate enough faith in it…the job should be done by the department, and would have given them trust ensuring that nothing would go wrong,” he added. Taking exception to the reports regarding collection of “goonda tax” for mining under political patronage in Pathankot region of the State, he said: “I have taken cognisance of it and directed officers to compile a report on it soon.”
Admitting the “shortcomings” in the industrial department, Mittal said: “The system needs to be improved…I will fill up those loopholes and pull up the officers of the department to set things straight,” he added.
At the same time, Mittal refused the claims that the reshuffle was done owing to the non-performance of the BJP ministers. “Reshuffle has been done for the better…it’s not that the earlier minister was not performing well, but, there is always a scope for improvement and we would improve the functioning of this department by taking suggestions from all sections,” he added.
Regarding the state’s new industrial policy, Mittal said that it be notified very soon. “In the new industrial policy, needs of small, medium and large scale industries will be taken care of through whatever help the entrepreneurs required for setting up of new units,”
he said.