BHAGWANT MANN LEADS PUNJAB IN INCLUSIVE & BALANCED GROWTH BHAGWANT MANN LEADS PUNJAB IN INCLUSIVE & BALANCED GROWTH

MUCH LIKE HOW THE AAP GOVERNMENT WAS A REFRESHING CHANGE IN THE STATE WHEN IT CAME TO POWER 10 MONTHS BACK, THE FIRST INVESTORS SUMMIT UNDER CHIEF MINISTER BHAGWANT MANN’S LEADERSHIP IS SHOWING SOME REFRESHING CHANGES ALREADY IN THE RUN-UP TO THE EVENT.

This is the fifth time that Punjab is going for its investors summit. But the 5th edition of the Progressive Punjab Investors Summit is the first time this event is being held under the AAP government that was voted to power almost a year back.

During the first 11 months of his rule as the Punjab Chief Minister, Bhagwant Mann has led the state in attracting Rs. 38,175 crore in new investments with a potential to create 2.43 lakh jobs. While this is similar in scale to other best performing states in India, CM Mann’s achievement is noted for its geographic inclusivity, well balanced growth across buzzing sectors, employment generation, and above all its transparency.

The young and dynamic chief minister had recently come out with the finer details of the investments so far attracted under his rule. The real estate, housing and infrastructure sector has received investment proposals worth Rs. 11,853 crore, which will generate 1.22 lakh jobs.

In the manufacturing sector, which is a traditional stronghold of the state, investment proposals worth Rs. 5,981 crore have been committed and will generate 39,952 jobs. Alloy steel and steel sector has attracted investments of Rs. 3,889 crore and will be creating 9,257 jobs. at the Indian School of Business (ISB) campus, during February 23rd & 24th. The summit will include exhibitions on the achievements and potential of various sectors in the state including Textiles, IT, ESDM & Startups, Healthcare, Green Energy & Sustainability, Tourism & Hospitality, and Entertainment.

Another buzzing sector of the state is textiles, technical textiles, apparels & made-up sector which has firmed up investments worth Rs. 3,305 crore and comes with a commitment of creating 13,753 jobs.

The state which is most famous for agriculture will see its agri, food processing and beverages sector attracting investments worth Rs. 2,854 core that will provide 16,638 jobs. The remaining investments worth Rs. 2157 crore is from the healthcare sector which will generate 4,510 jobs. The new projects will also take investments into every nook and corner of Punjab, and not just in its largest cities like Ludhiana, Amritsar, Jalandhar & Patiala. For instance, Mohali has attracted investments worth Rs. 9,794 crore which will generate 68,061 jobs, while Ropar has bagged investments worth Rs. 9,319 crore that will deliver 3,172 jobs.

While his detractors were surprised by CM Bhagwant Mann’s achievement of attracting Rs. 38,175 crore in new investments so far with a potential to create 2.43 lakh jobs, this former actor, comedian & satirist has asserted that this is just the pre-monsoon shower and that a full-fledged monsoon awaits the state during the 5th Progressive Punjab Investors Summit. Even his enemies would have to grudgingly agree as the state has recently been selected as a ‘Top Achiever’ in the ‘Ease of Doing Business in India’ index. During the first eleven months of its rule, the AAP

Government has been successful in giving government jobs to over 26,000 people in the state. The focus that CM Bhagwant Mann has on employment generation is seen also in his other welfare measures. Recently, he had led an initiative to shut down several toll plazas on Punjab’s highways that have been keeping on collecting tolls for several years now. According to the CM, this will amount to more than Rs. 10 lakhs in daily savings for the people of Punjab.

And keeping true to his AAP roots, CM Mann had earlier overseen the launch of 500 Mohalla Clinics in Amritsar. Mohalla Clinics that offer free or heavily subsidized treatments to the people has been a trump card of AAP in Delhi, where it first stormed to power in India. He has also shown his unique nationalistic trait when he categorically made it clear that Punjab won’t be doing any new business initiatives with Pakistan, come what may. The reason the Chief Minister cited for it was quite persuasive - that Pakistan was daily trying to push massive quantities of narcotic drugs into his state.

Indeed, in recent years, Punjab has been reeling from an onslaught of drugs, and this is the first time a Chief Minister has unequivocally taken such a massive stand against India’s troublemaking neighbour, with whom the state has a long and treacherous border.

The CM has also been lobbying hard with the Central Government for meeting his state’s vital needs. Coal, for instance, is an industrial fuel that Punjab is heavily dependent upon, and the timely access to coal supply has been an Achilles heel in Punjab’s development.

After studying this issue in-depth recently, the CM has now demanded for trains to be allotted to Punjab for ferrying coal into the state in a timely manner, which is a facility that many other states in India enjoy with regard to coal.

The CM who held a review meeting on February 16th for the Progressive Punjab Investors Summit 2023, had several directives for the top-level officers from all concerned departments. These included making fool-proof arrangements as several global delegates of VIP stature are expected to attend.

He exhorted the officers to make sure that Punjab’s entrepreneurs are facilitated with group as well as one-to-one meetings with the visiting international experts and delegates. He also directed the officers to uphold Brand Punjab in everything they do. His team takes up such suggestions earnestly as the Chief Minister himself had made it a point to lead from the frontlines by meeting industry leaders during his visits to various cities, including Bangalore, Mumbai & Hyderabad, to seek investment in the state.

He seems to have made a special rapport with the Telengana CM during his visit. Apart from learning about Telengana’s success spree in attracting massive investments, CM Mann also made it a point to study about the state’s noted irrigation reforms, which will come in handy for him while leading his state which still has a sizeable agrarian economy.

Under the leadership of Bhagwant Mann, several poll promises like free electricity, Aam Aadmi Clinic, farmer welfare, international training to teachers, reasonable and affordable sand for construction, employment opportunities for youth, ensuring the dignity of martyrs and ensuring corruption free governance have been implemented, during the 11 months it has been in office.

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