Punjab Government is all in for providing a well-oiled machinery for the industries to run in the State. Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Tuesday virtually refused to provide the financial grease for the time being, but promised to reduce friction in industrial operations across the State.
Capt Amarinder, interacting with the industry captains from across the State at PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry, promised to do away with the red-tapism, ensuring ease of doing business, providing affordable power, among other things.
“You have asked for two things…financial support and governance...finances, debt are in front of you and I am not making excuses as it was not our fault...we have inherited this from the previous Government...but I can promise you governance...we can bring in anything we can have to provide you ease of doing business in the State,” said Capt Amarinder.
“Power...we are working on it...we have promised Rs5 per unit to the industry, and we are working to fulfil this promise,” he said.
Candid enough to express his inability to make any financial commitments, Chief Minister said: “We are yet to ascertain the extent of financial mess prevailing in the State and would soon bring out a white paper to expose the real status...We don’t know what our debt is, and once it is public, only then we can make any commitments.”
At the same time, Capt Amarinder stressed for revival of industry which “is critical for the restoration of the State’s growth, as that would also act as an impetus to attract new industry”.
He lamented that agriculture, despite being of critical importance, was not resulting in economic growth. “Water is becoming a major problem for the entire country,” he said, stressing the need to resolve the issue at the national level through collective efforts.
Underlining the need for collaborative efforts between the industry and the Government, Capt Amarinder asked the industrialists to “come forward, sit with us...and let us try to resolve your issues...we have 90 lakh youngsters who want job”.
He also maintained that the new industrial policy, currently being drafted, would be implemented without delay, in all seriousness. “Once the new policy comes up, its implementation is our responsibility,” he assured to one of the industrialists.
Paying a patient hearing to the industrialists, Capt Amarinder also promised to look into other issues raised by them during the interactive session, including delay in VAT (value added tax) refund, truck unions, and environmental clearances, and support in reviving the closed cotton ginning mills in Malwa belt.
Many industrialists also pointed out that apathetic attitude of various government departments towards them when it comes to seeking “required approvals to set up industries”.
‘Check intimidating truck unions’
Taking serious note of the problems created by the truck unions operating in the State for the industrialists, Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh assured an early resolution of the same.
The issue was raised not only by the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry which demanded to bring in a legislation to regulate the operations of such unions, Punjab Cabinet Minister Rana Gurjit Singh, who is also an industrialist, too demanded a check on operation of these truck unions.
The industrialists alleged the truck unions indulged in massive extortion and intimidation. They demanded that all illegal activities of these unions be made punishable to ensure that they operate as any other service providing company.
“Truck unions operating in several parts of the state are creating hindrance in the industrial growth by resorting to extortion and intimidation...The industries, primarily in the Malwa region, are being fleeced by the truck unions. They are charging 30 per cent extra as against the normal freight charges. Similar things are seen in Dera Bassi, Sangrur, Barnala, Bathinda and other parts of the state,” asserted PHD Chamber (Punjab chapter) chairman RS Sachdeva.
Govt committed to provide power at Rs5 per unit
Power Minister Rana Gurjit Singh made it clear that the Government was committed to implement its promise of providing power at Rs5 per KVAH, which the PHDCCI demanded should be frozen for the next five years. “Chief Minister has asked us to meet the targets...we have to take bold decisions to implement this poll promise,” said Rana Gurjit.
Q&A Session
As the industrialists listed out their woes to the Chief Minister, Capt Amarinder assured that his Government would “make it easy” for the industrialists while asking for some more time to put things straight as “we are still little babies...we are here for just eight weeks”.
During the question-answer session, a Mandi Gobindgarh industrialist wanted the State Government’s help in seeking time extension from the Centre on the new ground water usage policy.
Another issue raised during the session was the excessive levies imposed on Punjab cotton, which made import from other states a cheaper option. “It is absurd that Punjab cotton is expensive than Gujarat...we will look into this,” he said as the industrialists pointed levying of market fee as one of the reason.
Chief Minister assured the industry of elimination of all such levies to provide level playing field with other states.
Cap Amarinder also welcomed a proposal by Orient International (Sonalika) to set up a Skill University or Centre of Excellence of world class level, on a condition that it has to be “top class and want every student to be placed”.
Orient International, which has 75 centres in India besides ones in Canada and Australia, also suggested to tap the opportunity to promote wellness tourism in Amritsar which witness huge tourist footfall and have an international airport.