Manpreet Badal asks Centre to set up pharma park in Bathinda
Darpan News Desk IANS, 22 Oct, 2021 10:35 AM
Chandigarh, Oct 22 (IANS) Building a pharmaceutical park in Punjab's Bathinda would serve the entire country, particularly the northern region, state Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal said on Friday.
Raising the demand at a meeting with Union Health and Chemicals and Fertiliser Minister Mansukh L. Mandaviya, Badal said it is equally important to diversify Punjab's economy as well as its agriculture.
Mandaviya carefully listened to the facts presented and assured the Finance Minister that he would give the proposal the highest consideration.
Being a border state, Punjab must employ its youth productively to avoid them falling victim to sinister designs emanating from neighbours, said Badal, while adding the establishment of a pharmaceutical park would provide direct employment to around 100,000 people and indirect employment to nearly 200,000 people.
He stressed the presence of a fully operational 'A' level railway station, availability of over 1,350 acres, and proximity to the Bathinda Oil Refinery make this site ideal for establishing a pharma park.
He said 134 acres of water bodies, lakes, and ponds bolster the land cluster greatly, providing many additional benefits for establishing, maintaining, and operating a pharma facility.
The pharma industry will also receive substantial support from some of the largest USFDA-approved pharmaceutical companies, such as Sun Pharma, Centrient, and IOL Chemicals.
After the meeting, she said: "We discussed issues related to road and infrastructure projects, including transport, road connectivity and manufacturing units of electric buses. We have also discussed building some flyovers in Kolkata."
Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Thursday gave the go-ahead for putting a new Bill for this before the Cabinet, paving the way for its enactment in the next Assembly session.
In a letter to the Prime Minister, Amarinder Singh said his government would be happy to work in conjunction with the Centre to ensure adherence to proper Covid-19 protocols, including testing and vaccination of pilgrims using the corridor.
A CBI spokesperson here said that the agency sleuths carried out searches at the premises of Eastern Coalfields Ltd General Manager Subhash Mukhopadhyay, retired General Manager Sushanta Banerjee, colliery agent H.C. Moitra, Manager, Security, Mukesh Kumar, and Inspector, Security, Rinku Behra.
Former Congress President and Sonia Gandhi's son, Rahul Gandhi, was also present during the meeting. The meeting was held at Sonia Gandhi's residence at 10 Janpath here.
The Prime Minister conveyed his warm greetings to President Biden and Vice President Harris and his appreciation for the initiatives taken by President Biden including those related to the Quad, Covid-19 and climate change.
