Punjabs focus shifts to industrial exports

The green revolution that changed the face of Punjab decades ago is now being followed by the industrial revolution.

By Sunil Sharma

Chandigarh, July 2 : The green revolution that changed the face of Punjab decades ago is now being followed by the industrial revolution.

The State Government is joining hands with industrialists and exporters to set precise policies.

Drish Shoes Limited (Exporter), a multinational shoe company near Chandigarh, is an example. It manufactures and exports top quality finished leather, shoe uppers and shoes with a phenomenal track record of growth in turnover and profits.

Exporting 95 percent of its goods and competing with European brands like Manz, Fortuna, Jela, Lloyd and Ballco of Spain, Jitmar in Holland, the company is among North India's leading exporters.

The company's annual turnover could improve further if small hurdles in the exports of goods are removed.

I S PAUL, Managing Director of the Drish said: "If we are going to have merchandise exports out of Punjab, we must have a quicker mode of transport to the port. What is more important is - can my goods be in the port on the third day? Can it catch the ship four days later? That's my concern. So don't give me the subsidy. Give me speed."

To overcome the obstacles and to improve exports from the State, the Punjab Government has got into serious discussions with top exporters of the state.

Chief Minister Prakash Singh Badal has assured better infrastructure and freight subsidy for manufacturers and exporters to make Punjab economically prosperous.

Stress is also being laid to open trade with neighboring countries like Pakistan.

According to recent figures, Punjab exports rose from 17.6 million US dollars in 2004-05 to 21.4 million US dollars in the last financial year.

Punjab is rich in food grains, engineering goods like bicycles, auto parts, forgings and agricultural equipments. There is good scope to export sports and leather goods, apparels and textiles.

Rajender Mishra, MD of Aar Ess Exim (Exporter) said : "Over a period of time India has capitalized and now we have lot of technologies which are user friendly and the investment cost is very small and there are high rate of returns. Countries with small population cannot afford the technologies of Europe and USA, they are looking for technologies from India."

A helping hand of the Government will enable the exporters achieve their aims.

ANI