Punjab News/Progressive Punjab investors summit to add impetus to state’s growth-Sukhbir Badal

Chandigarh, November 30, 2013: Punjab is all set for the first “Progressive Punjab Investors Summit”   at ISB campus, Mohali on December 9–10, 2013. The event will bring together thought leaders, policy makers, academician, investors, industrialists, entrepreneurs and professionals on a common platform for the development of the state.
Addressing the media persons here today Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal accompanied by Industry Minister Madan Mohan Mittal and Revenue Minister Bikram Singh Majithia, said that “Instead of waiting for investors to come here, we are reaching out to them with Progressive Punjab campaign to showcase opportunities available in the State”. He informed that “earlier during domestic and international investor meets held at Bangalore, Taiwan and Mumbai top IT, Infrastructure, Food Processing, Biosciences and Healthcare companies have expressed their keen to invest in Punjab”.
He said that the two-day summit would be inaugurated by Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on 9th December at 11 AM at the ISB Campus Mohali, where a large exhibition would showcase leading Punjab manufacturers and enterprises. Special sessions on bioscience and health services, infrastructure, real estate and renewable energy, business opportunities with other countries would be the highlights of the summit.
The valedictory session on December 10th would kick off a year-long progressive Punjab investment campaign 2014-15 which is expected to see a surge in investment in focus sectors of the State’s economy.
Deputy CM also disclosed that 30 international companies from Italy, Taiwan, France, Germany and USA and 400 industrialists from all over the country to take part in the investor meet. Giants of industrial sector namely Mukesh Ambani, Chairman & MD, Reliance Industries, L.N. Mittal Chairman and CEO  Arcelor-Mittal,  A.M. Naik, Executive Chairman, L & T, Mr. Y.C Deveshwar, Chairman ITC,  Malvinder Singh Executive Chairman, Fortis Healthcare Ltd,  Kiran Mazumdar Shaw Chairman & MD, Biocon Ltd,  S.P Oswal Chairman and Managing Director Vardhman Group,  Sunil Kant Munjal, Joint MD Hero MotoCorp,  GVK Reddy, Chairman and MD, GVK,  Ravi Kant, Vice Chairman, Tata Motors,  Ira Gumberg, President and CEO, Gumberg India Pvt. Ltd,  Arun Sawhney, CEO and MD, Ranbaxy and  Manmohan Shetty, Promoter, Adlabs have given their consent to take part in investors meet.
Talking about the target sectors for investment during the investors meet, Badal said that housing, infrastructure & renewable energy, biosciences and healthcare, information technology, agro and food processing, textiles and skill development areas were on the priority list of Punjab Government.
He also said that “we have established world class infrastructure, power surplus, best air connectivity, which were utmost needs for big ticket projects, so the time has come to show the investment opportunities to the investors”.
He said that national and international agencies like World Bank, CRISILS, Union Government and RBI has put their stamp on the development of Punjab. It may be mention here that international rating agency CRISIL has declared the Punjab as  Most prosperous state in India after Ludhiana  was identified as Best place for doing business in India by the world bank. Besides that RBI has also announced Punjab as the 3rd most attractive destination for new investments in India in 2012-13. Prestigious media house India Today Survey, 2011 had also declared the state as “Best State in India” and ‘Best Big State’ award for ‘Core Infrastructure’ was also given by the  IBN Diamond States Awards 2012. The Union Tourism Ministry survey had also declared that Punjab was also a most preferred tourist destination in India.
Terming the visionless congress as the biggest enemy of Punjab, Badal said that the reports of these world class institutions were a befitting reply to the congress leaders who are running “defame Punjab Campaign”. He categorically said that the investor meet is not a political gimmick but a reality to showcase the facts and overall development of the state. Replying to the question about the notification of new industrial policy, Badal said that “on December 5 we are going to notify it”.
To facilitate doing business in Punjab, Badal said that Punjab Bureau of Investment Promotion (PBIP), Single point of contact for investors to provide all essential clearances has been set up. Earlier new industrial policy, food processing policy and new traders policy were also implemented with same aim. In another proactive step, senior government officials have also been deputed as relationship managers to facilitate corporate houses.
Talking about the MOUs to be signed during the meet, The Deputy Chief Minister said that Punjab Government has received large number of proposals from various companies especially in IT sector and Medical Tourism etc.  He also said that Amritsar and Mohali are all set to emerge as IT hubs, which would provide more than one lakh jobs to the Punjabis in next 3 years. He also disclosed that all the MOUs to be signed during the meet would be implemented within 6 months.
Prominent amongst present on the occasion included Finance Minister Parminder Singh Dhindsa, Tourism Minister Sarwan Singh Phillaur and PWD Minister Sharanjit Singh Dhillon.