Driving Naari Programme launched in Chandigarh
* BSA cycles and Apollo hospitals to establish set ups in Punjab
* BSA to establish bicycle plant in Rajpura. Apollo to establish state of art hospital in Amritsar
Chennai, Punjab Deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal today achieved two major breakthroughs on the first day of his investment promotion visit with the country’s second biggest bicycle manufacturer BSA and Apollo hospitals announcing their decision to expand their operations in Punjab.
While the Muruguppa group which owns the BSA brand has committed to establish a bicycle manufacturing plant in Rajpura, Apollo hospitals will establish a state of the art hospital at Amritsar.
In the morning today Muruguppa group chairman Mr L Ramkumar told the Deputy CM that the group had a tube manufacturing facility in Mohali and now wanted to put up a world class bicycle and tube manufacturing plant at Rajpura. Mr Ramkumar said the company had already earmarked an investment of Rs 200 crore for the project and told the Deputy CM that it was now looking for a land parcel of 60 to 70 acres for the project. “Our experience in Punjab which has a congenial working atmosphere with zero labour issues has been very good. We now want to take advantage of the concessions being offered by the State to take our investment to the next level”, Mr said.
While assuring the Muruguppa group of all facilitation to establish its forthcoming bicycle unit in Rajpura, Mr Sukhbir Badal disclosed that the new industrial policy, which allowed investors to retain 80 per cent VAT (value added tax) due from them, would ensure the competitiveness of BSA bicycles both in the region, and internationally also.
Mr Sukhbir Badal also visited the Apollo hospital here and was the guest of honour at the 31st anniversary celebrations of the hospital chain. The occasion also witnessed Apollo hospitals Chairman Prathap C Reddy announcing that the hospital chain would establish a state of the art hospital in Amritsar which would not only cater to Punjab but also NRIs and international patients.
Mr Reddy announced that a team from Apollo hospitals would visit Punjab in the forthcoming fortnight and that he would also visit Punjab to ensure speedy establishment of the project. Mr Reddy also disclosed that the hospital chain was keen to develop the skill sets of the medical fraternity following which the Deputy CM announced that Punjab was ready to give clearance to the hospital group to establish its own University for this purpose.
Mr Badal also visited Sankar Nethralaya and held discussions with its vice chairman Dr T S Surendran. The Deputy CM invited Sankar Nethralaya to help in establishment of a similar charitable hospital in Punjab.
In another meeting in the evening, TAFE group Chairman and CEO Mallika Srinivasan also met the Deputy CM during the course of which Mr Badal briefed her about the single window clearance system initiated by Punjab and the various incentives being given by the State. Rane group Chairman Harish Laxman also held a meeting with Mr Badal and discussed ways and means to increase the presence of the group, which manufactures auto components.
The Deputy CM was accompanied by a high level team of officers including Mr Anirudh Tewari, Mr Karan Avtar Singh, Mr D K Tewari and Mr Manvesh Sidhu besides Media Adviser to the Deputy CM – Mr Jangveer Singh. EOM
