AAP Govt’s Mindless Policies Forcing Punjab Industries to Migrate Elsewhere

The Rising Panjab Bureau

The mindless policies being followed by the AAP government led by Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann may sound the death knell of industries in the border state. Although the new government assumed office in March 2022, it is yet to frame a new industrial policy for the state. This speaks volumes about the confused priorities of the government.

Opposition Congress leader Partap Singh Bajwa has slammed Mann for his failure to form a new industrial policy, warning that its sheer lethargic approach towards formulating a new policy is creating unrest among the industrialists who have now started exploring other states for expanding their activities. Recently, a delegation of Punjab industrialists met UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to discuss business prospects in that state.

It may be mentioned here that the previous industrial policy, framed by the then Congress government in 2017, ended on October 17, 2022. The Department of Industries and Commerce has prepared the policy and sent it to the Cabinet for approval, but the CM is too busy pursuing other activities.

Bajwa said, “the AAP government has been managing its essential activities with borrowed money and loans. In such a situation CM Mann, who made tall claims to improve the financial health state before assembly elections, should demonstrate seriousness towards the people of Punjab.”

Meanwhile, the news that the Punjab government had withdrawn its application for the Centre’s mega textile park scheme has come as a bombshell for the people of the state. According to Union Commerce and Textile Minister Piyush Goyal, the Punjab government withdrew the application citing the unavailability of land.

Goyal went on to laud the Sikh enterprise and urge the Punjab Government to become more proactive in seeking investment and competing for central incentives.

“The Centre has unveiled production-linked incentive schemes across sectors and does not discriminate between states. In fact, under the PM Mitra scheme, the Centre is building seven mega textile parks for which applications were invited. Punjab applied and then withdrew its application saying it did not have the land. So even if we want, we cannot consider Punjab under the scheme,” the minister said.

Goyal urged the state government and the state industry to be more proactive on the front of investments. “Today states have to make a compelling case to invite investments,” he said. The minister hailed the contribution of Sikhs to the US trucking industry. “We are proud that the Sikh community has made its mark worldwide by the dint of hard work,” he said.

As a CM, Bhagwant Mann’s busy schedule is understandable but priorities have to be set right.  Pendency for the Cabinet’s approval of the new industrial policy, when the previous policy expired in October last year, does not behove well for the state government.  The policy paralysis has offered an opportunity for the opposition parties to accuse the government that caring less for the welfare of the people of the state.  It is incumbent on the government to ensure the good health of industries in the state to increase production and generate employment.