I’m dissatisfied with Punjab’s 19th EODB ranking: CM Amarinder Singh

CHANDIGARH: Expressing dissatisfaction with Punjab’s 19th rank in the ease of doing business survey, Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh on Wednesday said his government aims to put the state in the top five next year, with a new system of deemed approvals to be implemented soon to further promote business ease.
Amarinder was chairing a virtual round-table conference with some industry leaders on the job landscape and required skill-set for the post-Covid world.
He said Punjab was working on implementing a system of deemed approvals wherein online automatic clearances will be issued on the expiry of stipulated time period. The process of setting up new industrial parks to attract investments from foreign and domestic companies was also on, he said, citing the upcoming state-of-the-art mega parks in Ludhiana, Rajpura, Bathinda and Mohali.
Amarinder invited industry to be a part of the government’s efforts to help the state regain its pre-eminent position.
Reiterating his government’s commitment to fully supporting investors, as they strive for normalcy in the post-Covid environment in the coming year, he said his team of officers would do everything possible to help and facilitate the industry in Punjab.
Underlining his vision to provide employment in every household in the state, he said the government’s flagship ‘Ghar Ghar Rozgar’ programme had been successful in increasing employment and employability of youth.
Mohali was being developed as a major education hub, with Plaksha University coming up there, he added.
The pandemic had hit the industrial development process adversely, and caused the economy to suffer immensely, said Amarinder, adding that even amid the crisis, the state had received an investment of about Rs 2,500 crore, which is a strong sign of investor confidence in Punjab. Overall, the state had received investments worth over Rs 64,000 crore on ground in the last three-and-a-half years in response to the new industrial policy launched by his government.