Punjab aims to develop Mohali as Tier 1 IT hub

Chandigarh: A session on Information Technology and IT-enabled Services, highlighting Punjab as a premier destination for technological investment and digital innovation, was held on the concluding day of the Progressive Punjab Investors' Summit 2026.Addressing the session, Seema Bansal, vice-chairperson, Punjab Development Commission (PDC), said: "Punjab govt is resolutely aiming to develop Mohali as a Tier 1 town in the IT sector.""The state govt was focusing on the foundational pillars of governance, academia, and infrastructure to achieve this vision," she said.Seema Bansal further said: "A number of manufacturing industries in the state have already successfully started integrating AI technologies into their production processes."Additional chief secretary, IT, Dhirendra Kumar Tiwari, said the state offered "robust incentives to boost the IT industry under the Industrial and Business Development Policy 2026". Tiwari outlined key fiscal benefits for IT and ITeS units, including a 75% net SGST reimbursement for 10 to 15 years and an employment generation subsidy of Rs 5,000 per employee per month for 5 years. "Investors can also avail themselves of a capital subsidy of up to 20% of Fixed Capital Investment, capped at Rs 10 crore, alongside a 100% exemption on electricity duty for 10 to 15 years," he added.For Global Capability Centres, Tiwari said: "The state is offering an enhanced employment generation subsidy of Rs 7,500 per employee per month for five years for the first 10 units."He also listed "non-fiscal advantages such as time-bound clearances within 5 to 45 working days, exemption from the Punjab Apartment and Property Regulation Act (PAPRA) 1995 for all IT parks, relaxed setbacks, and unlimited floor area ratio (FAR) allowed on roads with a Right of Way of 45 metres."A panel of experts, including Dr Bimal Deep Singh, client solution head - large deals at Infosys; Manipal Dhariwal, CEO, Netsmartz; Rajwinder Singh Boparai, senior regional president, US Logistics Private Limited; and Baljit Singh, chairman of Guru Nanak Dev Global University, based in Flower Mound, Texas, shared their insights on the opportunities in the sector for Punjab.MSID:: 129590440 413 |