CM Mann’s Vision: Punjab as India’s Next Economic Powerhouse
Rajpura, October 1, 2025
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann declared Punjab as the emerging business hub of India, citing its industry-friendly policies and conducive business environment during the inauguration of the Holland-based multinational De Heus Animal Feed Plant in Rajpura. The event marked a significant milestone in Punjab’s industrial transformation.
Mann highlighted the state government’s initiatives, such as the FastTrack Punjab Portal, India’s most advanced single-window system for ease of doing business, and the formation of 24 sectoral committees led by industry leaders to craft sector-specific policies. He noted that Punjab ranks as a Top Achiever in Ease of Doing Business, attracting ₹1.23 lakh crore in investment proposals since March 2022, with the potential to create 4.7 lakh jobs. Global giants like Nestlé, Class, Freudenberg, Cargill, Verbio, Danone, and now De Heus have established operations in Punjab, joining investors from Japan, the USA, Germany, the UK, UAE, Switzerland, France, and Spain.
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The De Heus plant, built with a ₹150 crore investment, has a production capacity of 180,000 metric tonnes, expandable to 240,000 metric tonnes, contributing to the company’s global capacity of 12 million tonnes. Equipped with zero-pollution technology, the facility will support sustainable development and create employment opportunities for Punjab’s youth. Mann described this as the second-largest investment in the state after Tata Steel, alongside major projects by Verbio, JSW, Cargill, Vardhman, and Oswal. He urged other companies to follow De Heus and invest in Punjab, a “land of opportunities.”
Reflecting on cultural ties, Mann shared his admiration for Amsterdam, drawing parallels between Punjab’s and Holland’s vibrant cultures, particularly their shared agricultural and sporting legacies. He highlighted Punjab’s role as India’s Food Bowl, contributing 180 LMT of paddy and 125 LMT of wheat to the national pool, and its sporting prowess, with nine players in the Indian Hockey Team, the captain of the Indian Women’s Cricket Team, and the Indian Men’s Football Team captain hailing from the state. Mann expressed optimism that the De Heus plant would boost Punjab’s dairy sector and propel industrial growth.
Addressing recent challenges, Mann acknowledged the devastating floods that submerged 2,300 villages, affected 2 million people, destroyed crops across 5 lakh acres, and claimed 60 lives, displacing 7 lakh people. Infrastructure damage, including 3,200 government schools, 19 colleges, 1,400 clinics/hospitals, 8,500 km of roads, and 2,500 bridges, was estimated at ₹13,800 crore, with actual losses likely higher. Despite these setbacks, Mann emphasized Punjab’s resilience, rooted in its heritage as the “land of Guru Sahib,” and its determination to reclaim its global prominence.
The inauguration underscores Punjab’s growing appeal as a global investment destination and its commitment to sustainable industrial growth.
