INVC NEWS
Chandigarh,
Confederation of Indian Industry today hailed the key measures announced by Chief Minister Punjab Captain Amarinder Singh and the maiden Budget of the state government for 2017-18 presented by the state finance minister Manpreet Singh Badal today.
The state Government’s decision to provide power to the industry uniformly at Rs 5 per unit, disbanding truck unions, besides CM’s appeal to the well-to-do farmers to give up power subsidy voluntarily, which he has done himself, while appealing to his Cabinet colleagues to volunteer for the same is a welcome step. This shows the government’s commitment to its agenda of widespread reforms.
Hailing the state leadership’s decision to disband truck unions and providing Power uniformly at Rs 5 per unit to all Industrial segments, Mr Sachit Jain, Deputy Chairman, CII Northern Region, said the Budget and preceding announcements by the Chief Minister clearly demonstrate the state Government’s intent to accelerate Industrial growth. Mr Jain also pointed out that the correction of anomaly in incentives between expansion and new units may also be considered for the units undergoing expansion.
Complementing the state leadership for its bold moves to revive industrial & economic activity in Punjab, Mr Gurmeet Singh Bhatia, Chairman, CII Punjab State Council & Managing Director, Ajooni Biotech Limited, said, “CII has been demanding that industrial parks and estates to be brought under single agency and we welcome that the same has been implemented in the maiden Budget of the state government. The special scheme for women entrepreneurs by the name of ‘Women Entrepreneurship, Innovation, start-up and Hand-holding’ (WISH) scheme stands for the progressive approach of the state government to boost the industry. We compliment the Punjab Government for setting up of MSME Suvidha Kendras in each district with the power to grant regulatory clearance across the departments to promote ease of doing business for MSMEs.”
Mr Bhatia also appreciated the state government’s initiative to establish 16 Specific industrial parks and new industrial hubs at Sangrur & Ludhiana. However, Mr Bhatia opined that the state Government should earmark some budgetary allocation towards improving the industrial infrastructure in the existing Focal Points & Industrial areas, besides setting up a dedicated department with a clear mandate to revamp existing focal points & industrial areas.
Mr Sarvjit Samra, Vice-Chairman, CII Punjab State Council & Managing Director, Capital Small Finance Bank, appreciated the government’s decision to facilitate and help the trade and industry in smooth transition to GST regime by appointing a tax ombudsman. He complimented the CM’s decision to voluntary give up power subsidy for his farms. Mr Samra remarked that this is a very well-meaning move wherein the CM is himself leading by example and if the well-to-do farmers follow this would greatly help the state overcome its fiscal deficit.
The state government’s decisions to setup Skills University at Chamkaur Sahib besides setting up a Punjab Corporate Social Responsibility Authority (PCSRA) were also well appreciated by the senior office-bearers of CII.
