PUNJAB EYES DEFENCE, AEROSPACE AS NEXT GROWTH DRIVER; ₹1.92 LAKH CR INVESTMENT PROPOSALS RECEIVED SINCE 2022: AMAN ARORA
•Industries Minister Aman Arora inaugurates 9th CII Manufacturing Excellence Exposition
• No state can survive without industry; Punjab’s new policy framed by industry itself through 24 sector committees: Aman Arora
Chandigarh, October 13 (WISHAVWARTA);- Punjab has attracted investment proposals worth ₹1.92 lakh crore promising 6.5 lakh jobs since 2022 and now offers up to 125% capital incentive with time-bound approvals — “No other state has such an industry-friendly policy”, Industries and Commerce Minister Mr. Aman Arora said while assuring “Punjab is with industry”.
Mr. Aman Arora, along with former Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal B.S. Dhanoa (Retd.), inaugurated the 9th CII Manufacturing Excellence Exposition in Chandigarh. Mr. Arora said that Punjab received 1,626 proposals worth ₹32,110 crore with 91,236 jobs in the first six months of the current financial year alone (April 1 to September 30).
“Every proposal means a new or bigger factory, more jobs and more business for local suppliers,” Mr. Arora said, noting that manufacturing is the backbone of Punjab’s economy with units making auto parts, tractors, bicycles, hand tools, sports goods, hosiery and steel products for markets across India and abroad.
After touring the exhibition, the Industries Minister said it was encouraging to see products, machines and solutions made by Punjab’s own units, adding that manufacturing excellence today means better quality, less waste, timely delivery, competitive pricing and adoption of new technology on the shop floor.
The Industries Minister said the government is enabling industry to meet global demands through the revamped FastTrack Punjab single-window system — an online portal with all permissions and 45-working-day time-bound approvals — while the new Industrial and Business Development Policy-2026 offers incentives up to 125% of capital investment in priority sectors including auto components, EVs, defence and aerospace, electronics, textiles, food processing and sports goods.
“No state or society can survive without industry. That’s why we framed the policy through 24 sector committees — the person facing the problem has the best solution. Industry itself decided what the policy should be,” Mr Aman Arora stated, while lauding Punjab’s entrepreneurs for out-of-the-box ideas and urging them to use the expo for vendor matchmaking.
He added that the FastTrack portal now ensures officer-specific, time-bound disposal, with auto-escalation and show-cause notices for delays.
Mr. Aman Arora said defence and aerospace is the next big opportunity for Punjab’s engineering units already making precision parts and vendor development talks facilitated by Invest Punjab at the expo are a key step towards making them suppliers to the sector. He also urged large companies and PSUs to increase sourcing from the state’s MSMEs.
“When local suppliers grow, the whole industry grows,” he said, urging industry to work closely with Punjab’s ITIs, polytechnics and engineering colleges so that skilled youth get good jobs within the state.
“I assure you, the Government of Punjab is with industry. If you face any problem, the Department of Industries and Invest Punjab are there to resolve it quickly,” he stressed.
The event was attended by CII Punjab chairman Harpreet Singh Nibber, and Ashish Garg, among others. Mr. Aman Arora congratulated CII Punjab and all exhibitors, wishing them good business and new partnerships over the next two days.
