Ludhiana, July 19
Former President of the District Congress Committee, Ludhiana (Urban), Pawan Dewan, has sounded an alarm over the crumbling state of Ludhiana’s industrial backbone. In a strongly worded statement issued today, Dewan said the city — once hailed as Punjab’s industrial capital and proudly known as the “Manchester of India” is witnessing a relentless decline in its manufacturing base. He warned that the erosion of industry over the past few years has not only weakened Ludhiana’s economic standing but also threatens the livelihoods of thousands who depend on it.
While slamming the policies behind Punjab’s industrial collapse, Dewan, former Chairman of the Punjab Large Industrial Development Board, painted a stark picture of Ludhiana’s decline. “Once thriving with dozens of industries including textiles, hosiery, bicycles, auto parts, machine tools, garments, woollens, plastics, the city today stands as a grim example of how wrong policies can cripple growth,” he said. He warned that spiralling input costs, exorbitant power tariffs, heavy taxation and red‑tape clearance procedures have forced countless units to shut down, hollowing out Ludhiana’s identity as Punjab’s industrial capital.
Dewan stressed that while the entire industrial sector is reeling, the worst hit is the MSMEs — the backbone of Ludhiana’s economy, sustaining lakhs of jobs both directly and indirectly. “With factories shutting down and industries migrating, the very labour force that once supported their families with dignity is now reduced to struggling for three meals a day,” he lamented.
Dewan accused both the Central and the AAP Government of negligence, saying their indifference has driven several industrial houses to set up extension units in other states that promise incentives, subsidized power, and industry‑friendly policies. “Every unit shifting out of Punjab is a living testimony to the state’s governance failure,” he added.
Dewan further added that the much‑touted Punjab Invest Summit is nothing more than an annual spectacle staged by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann — a drama designed to project the illusion that industrial giants are investing in Punjab. “The reality is starkly different: no new industrial units are coming up in the state because of high costs of electricity, punitive taxes and the lengthy clearance process,”, he said. Taking a jibe at the Bhagwant Mann-led AAP Government, Dewan said, “In just four and a half years, the present regime has pushed Punjab’s industry into reverse gear with growth collapsing instead of advancing.”
Dewan emphasized that the people of Punjab are resolute in their determination to oust what he called the “worst government” in the upcoming elections, only months away. He assured that once the Congress returns to power, decisive measures will be taken to revive the industrial sector, rebuild investor confidence and steer Punjab back onto the path of growth and prosperity.