Chandigarh: Punjab Congress president Sunil Jakhar has welcomed the state’s new industrial policy as a path-breaking initiative by the Captain Amarinder Singh led government to restore investor confidence and revive industry in the state. In a statement here on Tuesday, Jakhar hailed the new policy as a powerful weapon to attack and eliminate the problems facing the industry, which was in the doldrums for the past 10 years. 

With this comprehensive and well-structured policy, Captain Amarinder Singh has implemented another major promise of the Congress poll manifesto, he added. Observing that the Cabinet approval to the policy had come as a timely Diwali gift for the industrialists and traders, who had been living in utter despondency following the collapse of their businesses, Jakhar said the provisions of the strategic document were clearly designed to inject the much-needed optimism into the system. 

With the implementation of the promised Rs 5/unit power for the industry becoming a reality from November 1, the stage is set for creating the necessary environment to boost business, Jakhar said. Not only will the new policy help bring new industries into Punjab it would also boost the government’s efforts to rehabilitate sick industries and woo back the ones that had shifted out of the state in search of greener pastures over the years, he added. 

Jakhar said by providing a level playing field to old and new industries, the state government has created an enabling environment for equitable growth of all, in contrast to the discriminatory policies of the erstwhile SAD-BJP government which had indulged in blatant favouritism in the interest of a few. With the previous government monopolising most of the businesses in the state, from cable industry to hospitality and transport, there had been no space for any other player to set up or grow business over the last decade, said the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) chief. 

The Congress government had ended this monopolistic culture soon after taking over the state’s reins and, with the new industrial policy, has further streamlined the systems and processes to bring in the necessary equity for inclusive growth, he added. With its focus on revival of MSMEs, the new policy has ensured that the small and medium industries, which had been the backbone of the state’s industrial development till some years ago, get back on their feet, Jakhar said. 

This, along with the thrust on skill development, would encourage entrepreneurship, which the government was striving to promote to address the problem of growing unemployment in the state, he added. Jakhar urged industries from within and outside the state to harness the opportunities opened up by the new industrial policy to invest in Punjab for their own benefit, and also the benefit of Punjab and its people.