Punjab investors’ summit highly successful, says Mann

Mohali: Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann on Sunday described the Progressive Punjab Investors Summit as a "highly encouraging and successful" exercise, saying the three-day event had brought global investors to the state and opened new possibilities for industry, employment and economic growth.Addressing a press conference on the concluding day of the summit, Mann said the govt would release the exact investment figures on Monday, stressing that the focus would be on projects likely to materialise on the ground rather than only memorandums of understanding (MoUs). "We will present the exact figures tomorrow. We will not simply talk about MoUs worth Rs 5-Rs 6 lakh crore. Anyone can sign papers, but we will share details of industries that will actually come up in Punjab," he said.Mann said entrepreneurs and business leaders from several countries attended the summit, many visiting Punjab for the first time. Around 30 sector-specific sessions were held where investors and policymakers discussed opportunities for industrial expansion.He said some participants compared the current investment climate with that of previous years and described the response from industry as "very encouraging". The CM added the govt planned to review progress again in about six months, around Punjab Day on Nov 1 and Diwali, when investors would be invited back to assess how many projects had begun construction or required policy support.Mann said established industrial groups such as Hero Group, Vardhman Group, Sonalika Group and Trident Group could act as ambassadors to attract more investment to the state.He also revealed that Apollo Hospitals had expressed interest in setting up a Rs 500-crore medical college in Punjab, describing it as an example of opportunities emerging after the summit.The CM said the summit's ultimate goal was to generate employment for Punjab's youth and reduce brain drain. "When young people get work here in Punjab, they will build their future here and the state will progress," he said.Earlier, during the summit's valedictory session, Mann said leading industrialists from across the globe had participated in the event, which he described as a landmark initiative to accelerate the state's economic growth.