PUNJAB Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal has said the government is laying special emphasis on strengthening infrastructure, and has launched big projects worth Rs 7,000 crore during the past four months. In a press statement issued today, he has also announced that the government will initiate special measures to reinvent the industrial economy of the state shortly. The CM said he would be having talks with the Centre soon on the issues relating to the industry in the state and the problems caused to it by the Center’s concessions to several states, especially those bordering Punjab. He further said he would also take up the issue of freight equalisation with the Union government. Mr Badal said the government is committed to sort out all the problems of industry to create a congenial environment for the growth of industry in the state, and he has decided to hold meetings with the representatives of industry associations of different parts of the state. He said he is looking into many of the problems presented before him by various industry associations. The government will also bring in a new comprehensive industrial policy. It is also constituting two state-level boards - Industry Development Board and Trade Development Board - which would be headed by the prominent personalities of trade and industry. Mr Badal said as a result of the thrust laid by the government on developing industry, huge investments amounting to Rs 44,000 crore in the industrial sector have been either made or promised in the state. The investments include Rs 18,919 core for the revival of Bathinda Oil Refinery. Mr Badal said the government is committed to enhance power generation by 5,000 mw within the next five years, and after the execution of new power projects, the state would be in a position to sell power to other states, besides providing 24-hour power supply to the people in the state. He added that district-level advisory committees would be constituted to thrash out the issues pertaining to the industry with regard to an early clearance of non-objection certificate (NOC) from the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB). Manoranjan Kalia, minister for industries and local government, said the government is committed to develop industry, and informed that it has disbursed the second instalment of Rs 100 crore of longpending capital subsidy to the industries during this financial year.