Union Food Processing Minister Harsimrat Badal on Friday said that the vision of former Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal in attracting investment to Punjab, including that in the food sector, was bearing fruit with `1500 crore ITC food park which was conceived and approved by the former SAD-BJP Government, finally being inaugurated a day before.
“ITC project came about due the proactive approach of the former deputy chief minuster who took up this project vigorously with ITC chairman YC Deveshwar. This is the second big project to be inaugurated during Congress rule,” said Harsimrat.
She said: “Earlier, `300 crore new tractor plant unit of Sonalika in Hoshiarpur, which was also approved as part of the Invest Punjab programme by the earlier SAD-BJP Government, was also inaugurated shortly after the new Congress Government took over the reins of the State.”
Harsimrat said that the manner in which investment was flowing into the State, following grant of all sanctions under one window by the Punjab Invest Department started by the previous government, was indicative of the success of the initiative taken by former Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal.
“Investments worth `40,000 crore which had been committed in the investment summits has already flown into Punjab and that more is now coming in due to the pro-industry policies of the previous SAD-BJP Government. It is probably due to this that Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh is trying to build upon the surplus power status of Punjab which was achieved during SAD-BJP rule as well as superior infrastructure, include airports, while marketing Punjab to investors,” she added.
She said that the Government should wake up from its slumber and also start attracting investment on its own. “Chief Minister had promised to bring in one industry a month but no new project conceived and approved during Congress rule has come into the State,” she said.