Punjab invites Tatas to explore investment opportunities

Tata group chief Cyrus Mistry today met Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, who invited the group to set up joint ventures in areas like IT and infrastructure."A team of experts of the company would soon visit to explore the possibilities and potential for setting up of new ventures in the state," Mistry was quoted as saying in a government release here.

He further said the group would also seek help from the state government to strengthen the company's existing infrastructure in Punjab, it said."The Chief Minister offered them (Tata Group) to initiate certain joint ventures in IT, Skill

Training, Agriculture and Infrastructure with the state government," the release said.

Accompanied by Madhu Khana, the Group Head-Business Development of Tata Sons Limited, Mistry who was on his maiden tour of the state had a detailed meeting with the Chief Minister regarding the investment prospects of the company in the state, it said.

Badal told Mistry that the state had contributed enormously in various sectors like food grain production, industry and above all in the armed forces for the security as well as development of the country.

Badal said, "...Owing to the growth oriented policies of the state government, today Punjab was one of the most preferred investment destinations of the country."

The Chief Minister talked about the "unprecedented infrastructure development" being carried out by the SAD-BJP government.

He said the state government has planned projects worth "thousands of crores" for ensuring 100 per cent water supply and sewerage facilities to the people in the state.

Badal sought a "helping hand" from Tata group in terms of modern technology and expertise to accomplish the task.

Expressing the dire need of skill development, Mistry said the team from the group would also study all the aspects to set up a new Training and Development Centre in the state.

This is to strengthen the skilled work force for the industrial as well as agriculture sector in collaboration with state government.

The Chairman of Tata Group of Companies, according to the release, agreed to the proposal mooted by the Chief Minister to explore undertaking all the database information for improving the agriculture sector of Punjab.

This was due to the fact that a majority of the farmers were not well aware of ways to resolve agri problems and that Tata group would like to establish a model in the state so as to provide an effective and timely help to farmers.