Rejuvenating Punjab
Punjab, often hailed as the food bowl of India, stands at a critical juncture where rapid urban expansion threatens its most vital resource — fertile agricultural land. With projects like Ludhiana’s 40,000-acre land acquisition for infrastructure, a serious debate emerges: Can development and farmland coexist? This paper explores a visionary approach to development that does not pit industry against agriculture but harmonizes both. It lays out sustainable alternatives, addresses concerns about industrial neglect, and draws lessons from global models where Agri-based industries have flourished without compromising farmland.
- Alternative Development Plans for Punjab ( Part 1 )
- Do we need to neglect Industry? Absolutely No. (Part 2 )
- Countries Who Have Successfully Built World-Class Agri-Based Industries (Part 3)
(Part 1 can be accessed@ https://theglobaltalk.com/2025/07/02/punjab-at-the-crossroads-balancing-agriculture-industry-and-sustainable-development-part-1-manjit-singh-sandhu/ )
(Part 2 ) II. Do we need to neglect Industry? Absolutely No.
Absolutely not. Instead, we need to redefine industrial development in a way that:
- Preserves fertile farmland.
- Reduces urban overcrowding.
- Encourages rural employment.
- Matches Punjab’s economic identity.
Promote industry — but in smart, distributed, rural-integrated forms, rather than concentrated, land-hungry urban expansion that erodes Punjab’s agri-capacity.
WHERE INDUSTRY IS INCLUDED IN THE PLAN:
- Rural Smart Villages Program
- Mini-Industrial Parks: Focus on small and mid-scale units in agri-processing, food packaging, textiles, dairy, and renewable energy.
- These are industry models suited for rural land, with less pollution and land use.
It decentralizes industry instead of abolishing it.
- Agritech + Infrastructure Integration –Promotion of value-addition industries:
- Cold storage & logistics
- Food processing & packaging
- Fertilizer & agro-tool manufacturing
- Agri-export hubs
These industries are based on what Punjab produces — wheat, rice, dairy, cotton, sugarcane, vegetables.
- Incentivize Rural Investment
Instead of pushing all industries to cities, it is suggested:
- Subsidies for industries in rural belts.
- Easier land leasing (not acquisition).
- CSR-linked infrastructure.
This enables industrial growth without displacing agriculture or increasing city congestion.
THE KIND OF INDUSTRY PUNJAB NEEDS:
Rather than generic, high-emission urban industries (steel, cement, etc.), Punjab needs regionally adapted industrial clusters, like:
(Industry Type Why It Suits Punjab)
- Agro-processing Based on wheat, rice, sugarcane, milk, fruits
- Textiles (Cotton, Khadi) Punjab’s cotton belt & traditional weaving
- Food Packaging & Export Units-Huge potential in agri-exports
- Farm Machinery- Punjab is mechanized, demand is high
- Renewable Energy (Bio-gas, Solar)-Plenty of biomass; wide rooftops
- Organic Products & Ayurvedic-Local herbs & dairy by-products
- Dairy-based Products-Ample milk production (Verka model)
INDUSTRY & AGRICULTURE ARE PARTNERS
The above suggestions are anti-industry — these are pro-sustainability and context-driven growth. The future of Punjab lies not in choosing either agriculture or industry, but in building a synergy where:
- Agriculture provides raw material.
- Industry provides value addition, jobs, exports.
- Infrastructure supports both without destroying either.
Therefore, let us not grow cities at the cost of villages. Grow villages with the power of industry.”
So, to the industrialist: The question isn’t industry or agriculture — it’s what kind of industry, where, and how?
Punjab must industrialize — but in ways that preserve its land, empower its people, and sustain its heritage.
Mr. Manjit Singh Sandhu is an illustrious alumnus of SCD Government College Ludhiana. He served in Kendriya Vidyalaya directly joining as a Principal in Feb. 1994 and after serving at different stations got retired on superannuation in Aug. 2013.
Kendriya Vidyalayas are governed by Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan under the Ministry of Education, Govt. Of India.
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