Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Saturday launched the Punjab Industrial Policy-2026 in Ludhiana, outlining an ambitious plan to attract fresh investments worth ₹75,000 crore within the year. The policy was presented as a comprehensive framework aimed at strengthening Punjab’s position as a preferred destination for industry, manufacturing, and large-scale business expansion.
The Chief Minister, accompanied by state Industry Minister Sanjeev Arora and prominent business leaders, described the policy as a structured roadmap to transform the state into one of India’s most competitive industrial hubs. He said the new framework is designed to create a stable and investor-friendly ecosystem while accelerating economic growth.
Addressing industry stakeholders, Mann stated that the policy introduces greater flexibility for investors by allowing them to select benefits tailored to their project requirements. He highlighted that, for the first time, investors would be able to customise their own incentive packages by choosing from a menu of 20 different benefit options, ensuring long-term policy stability and ease of doing business.
Industry Minister Arora said the policy adopts a sector-specific development model to boost industrial expansion across multiple domains. He described it as India’s first industrial framework structured around 24 distinct sectoral strategies, each designed to address the needs and growth potential of different industries. The government has also created a system of 20 incentive categories from which businesses can select based on their operational requirements.
He further announced that enterprises investing at least ₹25 crore and generating employment for a minimum of 50 workers would qualify for employment-linked incentives, encouraging both capital investment and workforce expansion.
A major focus of the policy is employment generation. The government has introduced targeted subsidies to encourage industries to expand hiring. Under the employment subsidy scheme, companies will receive ₹3,000 per employee, while enhanced incentives of ₹4,000 per employee will be provided for women, Scheduled Castes, and persons with disabilities, promoting inclusive workforce participation.
Officials added that eligibility norms for employment-linked benefits have been relaxed, making it easier for industries to qualify for support tied to job creation. Another significant measure includes the introduction of a capital subsidy for the first time in Punjab, aimed at encouraging fresh industrial investments and infrastructure development.
The government also announced that incentives would apply to the entire investment made by the state government in large projects, a move intended to attract high-value industrial ventures and strengthen public-private collaboration.
Emphasising the economic role of businesses, Mann stated that industrialists who generate large-scale employment contribute significantly to the state’s prosperity. He remarked that those who provide livelihoods to lakhs of people are also “annadata,” underlining their importance alongside the agricultural community.
The Chief Minister also announced the commencement of operations at Halwara Airport, which will be named after freedom fighter Kartar Singh Sarabha. In addition, plans were unveiled to establish a large and modern exhibition centre in the region to facilitate trade fairs, business expos, and industrial events.
Reiterating the government’s commitment to industry, Mann said additional facilities and infrastructure support for industrialists and traders would be expanded in the coming months as Punjab works to strengthen its manufacturing base and investment appeal.
