Envisions Acceleration of Industrial Growth and New Employment Opportunities for Youth
Asserts that the Trend of Brain Drain Has Reversed to Brain Gain
Chandigarh, August 22-
Launching the Policy for Empanelment of Certified Professionals, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Friday expressed confidence that the initiative will position the state as a leading industrial hub in the country.
“The policy will provide a much-needed impetus to industrial growth, thereby accelerating the state’s progress and creating new avenues of employment for the youth”, said the Chief Minister, while addressing the gathering after unveiling policy.
Calling it a landmark initiative, the Chief Minister said the policy aims to streamline regulatory approvals for industries while upholding environmental safeguards. Highlighting Punjab’s robust industrial growth in sectors such as food processing, textiles, auto components, hand tools, bicycle manufacturing, IT, and tourism, he said the state has emerged as a preferred destination for global investments. Bhagwant Singh Mann reiterated the Punjab Government’s commitment to good governance, transparent regulations, and enhancing the ease of doing business.
The Chief Minister listed that the state government has introduced key reforms like time-bound clearances within 45 days and in-principle approvals within just three days under the Punjab Right to Business Act, calling them benchmark decisions by the state. He explained that the new policy introduces a structured and transparent system for third-party validation by empanelled professionals. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that these professionals primarily include retired Environmental Engineers from State Pollution Control Boards, Pollution Control Committees, or State Environment Departments, as well as retired Associate Professors with relevant engineering qualifications.
The Chief Minister hoped that these certified professionals will facilitate industries—specifically those in the White, Green, and Orange categories located in industrial estates—with regulatory approvals such as Consent to Establish/NOC, Consent to Operate, and compliance monitoring under environmental laws. Emphasising that this is the first policy of its kind in the country, he said it strikes a balance between faster industrial approvals and robust environmental safeguards. Bhagwant Singh Mann stressed that the initiative will not only reduce compliance burdens for industries but also ensure cleaner air and water, sustainable development, and greater employment opportunities for Punjab’s youth—all while protecting natural resources for future generations.
The Chief Minister urged industries, professionals, and the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) to work together in building a future-ready, globally competitive, and environmentally sustainable Punjab. He said that by empanelling new environmental experts, the state government is removing hurdles and empowering certified professionals—similar to notaries—with the authority to approve industrial proposals. Bhagwant Singh Mann noted that their expertise will be leveraged for the benefit of industry, bringing greater transparency to government operations and expediting the pace of industrialization.
Calling it a historic day for industrialists, the Chief Minister said that while Punjab is traditionally an agrarian state, the government is committed to accelerating industrial development to create ample employment opportunities for the youth. He expressed pride in the reversal of the brain drain trend, declaring that Punjab has now entered an era of “brain gain.” Bhagwant Singh Mann made a clarion call to industrialists to support this noble initiative and urged professionals to contribute wholeheartedly to this unique effort.
Prominent amongst other present on the occasion included Secretary for Science, Technology & Environment Priyank Bharti, PPCB Chairperson Reena Gupta and others.
