Assures Industry of all proactive assistance and thrust from Govt. in ensuring smooth revival
CHANDIGARH, AUGUST 02, 2020: Underlining that Punjab Industrial sector was growing at substantial 5.33% in 2019-20 before Covid struck, the Industries Minister Sunder Sham Arora on Saturday asserted state government is leaving no stone unturned to ensure crucial sector regains momentum at the earliest.
Our aim is to reach that stage again soonest, Arora said adding under guidance of Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh department is working in a concerted manner to provide thrust and confidence especially amongst those industries hit hardest by pandemic in form of incentives and policy intervention.
Pointing out that Covid has presented an unprecedented situation globally and Punjab is not left untouched, the Minister assured Industry of all assistance from government side. We are fully seized of their problems and working aggressively in consultation with all stakeholders to find a way out of this difficult phase.
Captain Amarinder Singh has already constituted a group of experts under chairmanship of Former Deputy Chairman of Planning Commission Montek Singh Ahluwalia, a noted economist to oversee this revival.
The committee includes leading economic and industry experts and will advise the state government on short-term and long-term action plans of reviving the economy. Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has also agreed to assist the state in reviving the economy.
Underlining the unprecedented challenges posed by outbreak of COVID-19, which disrupted the demand and supply chains across India and various sectors like tourism, hospitality, aviation etc bore the major brunt.
There has been delay in supply of raw materials from China which has affected a huge number of manufacturing sectors which source their intermediate and final product requirements from that country. Sectors like automobiles, pharmaceuticals, electronics, chemical products etc. were impacted in a significant way, he added.
Lauding the industry for prompt action when country was faced with an acute shortage of Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) like Body coveralls and N-95 & N-99 masks, he said Industry in Punjab, specifically the textile industry grabbed this opportunity by responding to the need of the hour during the pandemic.
The Punjab PPE industry, with 2 BIS certified N-95 manufactures also, went from zero PPE units on March 24 to 139 approved body coverall manufacturers today. There are also 15 N95 manufacturers. The total production capacity for body coveralls is 5,49,050 pieces out of which available surplus capacity is 3,91,950 pieces.