Punjab News- Flight of industry due to the bias of Centre towards Punjab: Joshi

Chandigarh, September 11, 2013: Anil Joshi, Industry and Commerce Minister, Punjab today expressed deep anguish over the lackadaisical attitude of the Union Government for paying deaf ears towards the demands of Punjab state. He expressed shock that even Anand Sharma, Union Commerce Minister had also not given him appointment to register the protest of Punjab industry despite the repeated request of the former.

Regarding the non conciliatory approach of the Centre towards Punjab in a statement the Minister said that Punjab had been the worst sufferer of regional economic disparity arising out of preferential treatment to hill states in its vicinity, HP, Uttarakhand and J & K and has seen shifting of industry and investment to these hill states. Some of the Punjab based units have relocated in these tax-exemption areas to receive the benefits. He said that certain concessions have also been restored to these states at the cost of Punjab recently like capital investment & freight subsidy etc.

Joshi said that Punjab state was steadily losing to other states in its economic leadership due to non-providing of packages by the Centre for industry, disbanding of freight equalisation policy, non setting up of major public sector industrial projects and its coastal dislocation etc.

Joshi again demanded extension of these benefits to Punjab state for the peace and industrial growth of the state and to stop the discriminating attitude towards state.