CHANDIGARH, Oct 27 — Punjab’s transformation from an agrarian state into a manufacturing and technology hub is gathering momentum, with record-breaking industrial investments and sweeping policy reforms under the Bhagwant Singh Mann government.
In less than three years, Punjab has attracted investment proposals worth ₹1.23 lakh crore, officials said. These projects are expected to generate employment for over 4.7 lakh youth, marking a major step toward balanced, multi-sector growth.
“Punjab’s story is not only about factories and numbers — it’s about restoring pride and self-reliance,” Chief Minister Mann said, describing the shift as a “manufacturing renaissance.”
The change is visible across districts. IOL Chemicals’ ₹1,133 crore expansion in Barnala and major investments by global companies such as Nestlé, Cargill, and Danone have placed Punjab firmly on India’s industrial map.
The government’s reforms have targeted the roots of bureaucratic delay. Through the Single Window System and amendments to the Right to Business Act, new enterprises can now begin operations in as little as three days. “For decades, approvals took months. Today, it takes days. That’s a fundamental shift,” said an official from Invest Punjab.
Under the Punjab Udyog Kranti program, 12 new initiatives have been launched to streamline coordination between government departments and the private sector. These steps, officials say, have created an ecosystem where industries feel “heard, supported, and secure.”
Punjab’s manufacturing base is expanding into auto components, bicycles, textiles, and hand tools — sectors where local craftsmanship already enjoys a strong reputation. The government’s focus on a Film City and a new cricket stadium in Amritsar also aims to position the state as a hub for entertainment, sports, and tourism.
“Punjab is no longer confined to being the nation’s food bowl,” Mann noted. “We are becoming a land of innovation, technology, and opportunity.”
MSMEs remain central to this vision. Upgraded infrastructure and modernized policies are helping smaller enterprises scale up. The Fast Track Punjab Portal, designed to cut approval time, is enabling real-time investor support.
Officials describe the shift as both economic and emotional. It signifies “the victory of the young worker who finds a job at home, and the mother who no longer has to bid farewell to her child going abroad.”
As Punjab marches toward becoming a “Green Industrial State,” its leadership insists the transformation is about balance — preserving agricultural heritage while creating an industrial future rooted in honesty, transparency, and hope.
