 by AS MITTAL
Vice Chairman, Sonalika ITL Group, Vice Chairman(Cabinet Minister Rank), Punjab Economic Policy & Planning Board.
This new set of 12 reforms represents the most comprehensive and systemic attempt in decades to dismantle legacy hurdles and reorient Punjab’s industrial policy towards growth, efficiency, and investor confidence.
NEW DELHI/CHANDIGARH, UPDATED: Jun 20, 3:45 PM
Once a powerhouse of India’s Green Revolution and a manufacturing hub in the North, Punjab again stands at the cusp of an industrial revival. While the state has faced formidable challenges in keeping pace with national and global industrial trends, recent developments signal a strong and credible intent to reclaim lost ground.
Over the past three years, the Bhagwant Singh Mann-led government has launched several reform-oriented initiatives aimed at rejuvenating the industrial sector. Whether it was simplifying the approval processes under the Right to Business Act, disbursing industrial incentives, or expanding infrastructure in key focal points, the state has made earnest strides to enhance the ease of doing business. These earlier steps laid the groundwork for a more robust push, one that has now taken shape under the ambitious ‘Punjab Udyog Kranti’ initiatives announced on June 10.
Despite its rich legacy, Punjab has missed out on successive waves of industrial transformation—from liberalisation in the 1990s to the IT boom of the 2000s and the ongoing global shift toward green manufacturing. ‘Punjab Udyog Kranti’ offers perhaps the best chance to catch up, not through shortcuts but via a consistent framework of policy stability, transparent governance, and real-time accountability.
This new set of 12 reforms represents the most comprehensive and systemic attempt in decades to dismantle legacy hurdles and reorient Punjab’s industrial policy towards growth, efficiency, and investor confidence. Backed by the reformist zeal of CM Mann and AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal, this initiative marks a strategic shift—from ad hoc announcements to deep, structural reforms. This is not just a policy update. It is an industrial relaunch pad.
 Why Punjab Needs a Udyog Kranti
Punjab’s industrial slowdown has been attributed to geographical disadvantages. This structural issue, if unaddressed, can diminish investor interest regardless of policy intent. The new reforms aim to address various bottlenecks—precisely, not just through policy declarations, but also with digital tools, timelines, and accountability systems.
The 12-point reform package focuses on four critical pillars: policy continuity, effective implementation, institutional accountability, and practical design tailored to Punjab’s economic realities, with follow-through mechanisms embedded at every level.
 Fast-Track Punjab: A Game-Changer
At the heart of this new regime lies the Fast-Track Punjab Portal—a genuinely unified digital system integrating 48 departments. This platform enables real-time tracking, deemed approvals, and auto-escalation. It marks a decisive shift from the previous ‘single-window’ models that frequently required multiple physical follow-ups. Estimates suggest that it could reduce project gestation periods by up to 40% and eliminate the hidden costs associated with delay.
Institutional inertia has historically been the Achilles’ heel of Punjab’s industrial policy. Now, each department’s response time will be tracked, and delays will trigger automatic alerts. Additionally, grievance redressal will be closely monitored. Digitised workflows with built-in zero physical follow-ups and anonymous audits are also being introduced to eliminate local-level corruption, a chronic obstacle to industrial activity. As Arvind Kejriwal rightly put it, “These 12 initiatives will end the corrupt regime and usher in an era of transparency and meritocracy.”
 Key Measures That Matter
 Time-Bound Clearances in 45 Days: Addressing one of the most significant pain points—regulatory delays. As per Invest India, 38% of potential investors in Punjab cited approval delays as their top concern. The new framework mandates auto-approval even if there is a single day of delay within the deadline.
 Right to Business Act Expansion: Projects up to ₹125 crore, especially in industrial parks, can now begin operations with in-principle approval in just three days, with a validity of 3.5 years. This covers 95% of all MSME proposals in the state, significantly boosting small and medium-sized entrepreneurs.
 Self-Certification Norms: Building plans, structural safety, and fire compliance can now be self-certified. This reduces approval time from 60 to 90 days and lowers consultancy costs, making the process more agile and affordable.
 Tackling the Land Paradox: Punjab’s land ecosystem—ironically both abundant and inaccessible—has long deterred industrial expansion. Fragmented ownership, outdated revenue records, and complex land conversion processes have stymied growth.
Now, with the introduction of a Digital Land Feasibility Certificate (within 15 days) and new provisions for subdividing plots, converting leaseholds to freeholds, and auctioning 260 new plots, Punjab is unlocking dormant land assets. These reforms will not only encourage brownfield redevelopment but also ease loan collateralisation for industries.
Investing in Infrastructure: The state government has committed ₹300 crore to upgrade industrial focal points by November 2025, covering roads, sanitation, signage, and green infrastructure. In addition, ₹250 crore in incentives is being rolled out this quarter, with ₹150 crore already disbursed—a record for any quarter in Punjab’s industrial history. This financial push underscores the government’s seriousness in energising industrial sentiment.
 Way Forward: To make Punjab an easier, faster, and more trustworthy place to do business. With consistent follow-through, these reforms can gradually transform not only the ease of doing business but also the very narrative surrounding Punjab’s economic future.
In essence, these are milestone efforts to accelerate Punjab’s industrial growth, backed by bold intentions, effective policy, practical implementation, and institutional accountability. What emerges is not just a policy shift, but a genuine industrial renaissance rooted in factories and the entrepreneurial energy of Punjabis. The vision of a ‘Rangla Punjab’ is evolving—from cultural nostalgia to economic ambition realised through a bold new industrial revolution.
( Views expressed in the above opinion piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not reflect The News Dose’s views.)
