INAUGURATES MULTI NATIONAL DE HEUS PLANT AT RAJPURA
RECALLS STRONG BOND BETWEEN PUNJAB AND HOLLAND
Rajpura, October 1-
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Wednesday envisioned that due to industrial friendly policies and congenial atmosphere of business state will soon emerge as next business hub of the country.
Inaugurating the multi-national, Holland-based company De Heus’s Animal Feed plant here, the Chief Minister said that state government has taken several key initiatives including ease of doing business to facilitate the industrial growth. He said that Punjab has always been a land of resilience, enterprise, and rich heritage adding that the state is proud to be the Food Basket of India, contributing the largest share to the nation’s grain pool. However, Bhagwant Singh Mann said that in the last three years there has been a paradigm shift in Punjab’s industrial journey which has taken a dynamic turn.
The Chief Minister said that now the state is an industrial powerhouse, leading in sectors such as food processing, textiles, auto components, hand tools, bicycles, IT, tourism, and others. He said that industrial growth of Punjab is truly global as Investors from across the world have recognized the state’s potential. Since March 2022, Bhagwant Singh Mann said that Punjab has received investment proposals worth Rs 1.23 lakh crores, with the potential to create over 4.7 lakh jobs, positioning Punjab as an emerging hub for industrial growth and innovation.
The Chief Minister said that it is a matter of immense pride and satisfaction that Punjab is home to several prestigious global companies, including Nestlé, Class, Freudenberg, Cargill, Verbio, Danone and others which have established operations here, contributing to the State’s economic transformation. He said that these international companies recognize Punjab’s potential and the conducive environment that the state provides for businesses to thrive. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the state’s global reach is evident through investments from countries such as Japan, the USA, Germany, the UK, UAE, Switzerland, France, Spain, and others.
The Chief Minister said that after assuming the charge of office he has created an investor-friendly ecosystem that promotes ease of doing business. He said that due to industrial friendly policies of the state government Punjab today ranks as a Top Achiever in Ease of Doing Business and has launched the FastTrack Punjab Portal, India’s most advanced single-window system, with single entry and exit services. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that now the state government has created 24 sectoral committees chaired by the captains of industry to formulate sector specific policies.
The Chief Minister said that it is heartening to learn that the company has invested Rs. 150 crore in Punjab, which will benefit the state in the long term by opening new vistas of employment for youngsters. He expressed hope that other companies will follow the path of De Heus and invest in Punjab, which is now the land of opportunities. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that this plant has a capacity of 180 kilo metric tonnes, which is expandable to 240 kilo metric tonne as the company’s total capacity of animal feed is 12 million tonnes globally.
The Chief Minister said that this state-of-the-art plant has zero-pollution technology, which will help the state to create a sustainable environment for all. He said this is a historic day for the state as another multinational company has started its operation and manufacturing from here. Bhagwant Singh Mann said this is the second biggest investment after Tata Steel besides Verbio, JSW Plant, Cargill, Vardhman, and Oswal.
Striking an emotional bond with Holland, the Chief Minister said that being an avid traveller, he had the opportunity to visit Amsterdam, which is one of the great cities of the world. He said there are lot of similarities between Holland’s and Punjab’s cultures adding that the state will be immensely benefited through this ambitious project. Bhagwant Singh Mann expressed hope that Punjab’s dairy culture will flourish with the help of this ultra-modern plant and state’s industrial growth will get a major boost.
The Chief Minister said that Punjab is the blessed land of Guru Sahib and the people of the state have skills to adapt to every situation as Punjabis are global citizens. He informed that Punjab is known as the Food Bowl of India, contributing 180 LMT paddy and 125 LMT wheat to the national pool adding that the state has a rich sporting legacy like Holland. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that nine players of the Indian Hockey Team are from Punjab, as well as the captains of the Indian Women’s Cricket Team and the Indian Men’s Football Team.
Talking about the recent devastating floods, the Chief Minister said that the state witnessed this type of natural calamity after decades. He noted that over 2,300 villages were submerged, affecting more than 2 million people and devastating crops across five lakh acres. Tragically, Bhagwant Singh Mann said that around 60 lives were lost, around seven lakh people were rendered homeless, and extensive infrastructure damage was reported.
The Chief Minister said that 3,200 government schools, 19 colleges, 1,400 clinics and hospitals were damaged, along with 8,500 km of roads and 2,500 bridges. According to initial estimates, he said that the damage amounts to approximately ₹13,800 crore, though the actual figure may be even higher. However, Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the state has the spirit to stand against all odds and the day is not far when Punjab will regain its glory and shine across the globe.
