Thaindian News

Chandigarh, July 18 (IANS) Uninterrupted 24-hour power supply, three international airports, world-class road connectivity, lower power tariff, single window clearances and much more — the Punjab government is offering the moon to attract industrial investment to the state.

Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal Wednesday made the offer at a meeting with representatives of industrial houses and state government officials here.

For the next five years, he is targeting investment of Rs.100,000 crore.

With Punjab having failed to attract any major industrial investment during the years of militancy (1981-95) and subsequently due to tax concessions offered by neighbouring hill states, the government wants to recover lost ground.

Accompanied by Industries Minister Anil Joshi and Labour Minister Surjit Kumar Jiyani, Badal had detailed deliberations with representatives of industrial houses from across the country “to understand their expectations, aspirations besides to streamline the policy issues infringing the industrial growth in the state”, a state government spokesman said here.

Badal said Punjab would be a power-surplus state by 2013-14 and assured 24-hour quality power supply to industry. He said that all major cities would have four and six-lane connectivity.

Despite the state electricity regulatory authority having raised the power tariff Monday, Badal said that power tariff in Punjab was one of the lowest in the country for the industry. He said that with the commissioning of three thermal plants at Talwandi Sabo, Goindwal Sahib and Rajpura, the power tariff would substantially come down in the state.