Punjab Industries Minister Announces Record Investment Proposals Exceeding Rs 55,000 Crore
In a significant development during the Punjab assembly's question hour, industries minister Sanjeev Arora disclosed on Sunday that the state has received investment proposals worth over Rs 55,000 crore between April 2025 and February 2026. This figure represents a remarkable doubling of the investment recorded in the previous year, highlighting a surge in economic interest in Punjab.
Debate Over Investment Links to Chief Minister's Foreign Visits
The announcement came in response to a query from Congress MLA Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa, who sought details on the outcomes of agreements signed during the chief minister's international visits aimed at promoting foreign direct investment (FDI). Arora clarified that while the CM's official trips involved structured interactions with industry leaders and potential investors to showcase Punjab's industrial strengths and policy framework, it is challenging to directly attribute specific proposals to these visits.
"These discussions generally have a long gestation period before they reach the implementation stage. Conversion of such engagements into actual investments is a phased process that requires regulatory clearances and due diligence," Arora explained. He assured the assembly that the state government, through Invest Punjab, is actively following up with investors to facilitate the translation of proposals into ground-level projects.
Health Minister Addresses Concerns Over Female Cancer Mortality Rates
In a separate but equally critical discussion, health minister Dr. Balbir Singh responded to concerns raised by Banga MLA Dr. Sukhwinder Kumar Sukhi regarding rising female cancer deaths in Punjab. Sukhi cited data suggesting 13,299 female cancer deaths between 2021 and 2025, with an average of eight women dying daily from cancer, and questioned the state's efforts to curb a reported 56% mortality rate linked to breast cancer.
Dr. Singh refuted these claims, stating that the data quoted was not shared by the Punjab health department with the central government and its source remains unknown. He referenced the Indian Council of Medical Research's (ICMR) Population Based Cancer Registry (PBCR) report for 2020, which placed Punjab 16th among 28 states with 1,451 female cancer deaths. The minister highlighted that the truncated mortality rate for females due to cancer in Punjab is 55.5 per lakh, ranking the state 17th.
Additionally, Dr. Singh provided district-specific data from the Homi Bhabha Population Based Cancer Registry for Sangrur and Mansa districts between 2021 and 2024. In Sangrur, 2,218 female cancer deaths were recorded, including 485 due to breast cancer, translating to approximately 0.3 deaths per day. In Mansa, 1,670 female cancer deaths were reported, with 171 due to breast cancer, or about 0.1 deaths per day. He emphasized that the state government is implementing the National Programme for Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases (NP-NCD) to strengthen cancer prevention and control efforts.
Infrastructure and Environmental Issues Raised in Assembly
The assembly session also addressed various infrastructure and environmental concerns. AAP MLA Kulwant Singh from Mohali raised the issue of private hospitals violating building bylaws by using parking spaces for commercial purposes, leading to traffic congestion. Housing and urban development minister Hardip Singh Mundian informed that show-cause notices have been issued, with action expected within two to three months.
In another query, AAP MLA Manwinder Singh Giaspura sought updates on 31 sanctioned playgrounds in the Payal constituency. Tourism, culture affairs, labour, and rural development minister Tarunpreet Singh Sond reported that the projects are at different stages of completion, ranging from 5% to 80%, with one site shifted and work not started at another location.
Regarding environmental commitments, Congress MLA Avtar Singh Junior questioned the state's forest cover, which according to the India State of Forest Report 2023, stands at 1,846.09 sq km, accounting for 3.67% of Punjab's geographical area. Forest and wildlife preservation minister Lal Chand Kataruchak detailed that the department has carried out plantation on 17,089 hectares under various schemes in the last four years, including a statewide drive during the 550th Prakash Purab of Guru Nanak Dev, where 550 saplings were planted in every village.
This comprehensive assembly session underscores Punjab's dual focus on boosting economic growth through record investments while addressing critical health, infrastructure, and environmental challenges to ensure holistic development for the state.
