The North News
Chandigarh, August 8
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Arvind Kejriwal have announced the creation of 24 sector-specific Industrial Advisory Committees aimed at positioning the state as a national hub for manufacturing, trade and investment. Speaking at the launch in Chandigarh, Kejriwal described the initiative as the first of its kind in India and “a historic day” for Punjab. He accused previous state administrations of driving industry away through corruption and coercion, claiming that before 2022, business owners were pressured to part with stakes in their firms.
Since AAP came to power, he said, the government had moved to revive the sector by introducing measures such as the Fast Track Punjab Portal, which offers over 150 services online, and speedy approvals under the Punjab Right to Business Act. Kejriwal said the new committees — made up of industry leaders and government officials — would not simply advise but help decide policy. “Ninety-nine percent of their decisions will be implemented,” he told the gathering. “This is a reverse trend: the government will act on what industry recommends.”
The Chief Minister said the idea grew out of consultations with businesses last year, and each committee would draft strategies tailored to its sector. Membership would include representatives from large companies, MSMEs and all regions of Punjab to ensure “inclusive decision-making”.
Chief Minister Mann said the state had already attracted investment proposals worth ₹1.14 trillion since March 2022, creating more than 450,000 jobs. He pointed to interest from countries including Japan, the US, Germany and Singapore, crediting “industry-friendly policies, corruption-free governance and a supportive investment climate”.
He said the panels would help Punjab build “a forward-looking, globally competitive industrial ecosystem” and invited industrialists to act as “equal partners” in the state’s growth.
The Chief Minister also linked economic reform to social change, pledging to continue campaigns against corruption and drug abuse. “We are at a decisive turning point,” he said. “With the support of these committees, Punjab can become the most preferred industrial and export hub of India.”
