CIG and India's Invest Punjab Sign Collaboration Agreement to Promote Investment

May 1, 2020
Joint Press Release between the Punjab Bureau of Investment Promotion and the Chandler Institute of Governance
INDIA and SINGAPORE, 22 MAY 2020 — The Chandler Institute of Governance (CIG) and Punjab's (India) Department of Investment Promotion through the Punjab Bureau of Investment Promotion (Invest Punjab) have been working closely since 27 February 2020, to enhance investment promotion and management strategies to drive investments into the State of Punjab. A Collaboration Agreement was signed today between CIG and Invest Punjab, which acts as a key milestone in the partnership, and builds upon a broader Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Government of Punjab and CIG. Mr Rajat Agarwal, CEO, Invest Punjab, signed the collaboration agreement, on behalf of the Punjab Bureau of Investment Promotion and Mr Wu Wei Neng, Executive Director, CIG, on behalf of the Chandler Institute of Governance.

The collaboration agreement outlines the areas of the partnership developed jointly over the past months through discussions between CIG and the senior leadership and investment promotion officers of PBIP. Some of these areas include research support; enhancing the processes of investor outreach, investment facilitation and regulatory approval; talent and skills development for Invest Punjab officers; and improving the attractiveness of Punjab as an ideal investment destination.

The Government of Punjab has been taking envelope initiatives to ensure ease for the business throughout the investment lifecycle of the investor. Punjab’s Ease of Doing Business Reforms has been catalytic for the extraordinary economic growth realised by the State. The State has also created an online land bank with GIS-based mapping for land identification. The collaborative partnership with CIG will usher in a new era of Ease of Doing Business within the State, through enhancement of business processes for facilitating investor management and lead generation.

Ms Vini Mahajan, IAS, Additional Chief Secretary, Department of Investment Promotion, Industries & Commerce, Information Technology, Governance Reforms & Public Grievances, Government of Punjab; Mr Rajat Agarwal, IAS, Chief Executive Officer, Punjab Bureau of Investment Promotion; Ms Isha Kalia, IAS, Additional Chief Executive Officer (ACEO), Punjab Bureau of Investment Promotion; and Ms Avneet Kaur, PCS, Joint Chief Executive Officer (JCEO), Punjab Bureau of Investment Promotion were present at the collaboration agreement signing ceremony with Mr Wu Wei Neng, Executive Director of CIG; Dr Gyanendra Badgaiyan, Member of CIG’s Board of Directors; and members of the Invest Punjab and CIG team.

The ceremony was held virtually, signifying the commitment of both organisations to drive the partnership despite the COVID-19 global crisis. Given the challenge of the COVID-19 crisis, both CIG and Invest Punjab will be using innovative ways to commence working on the various workstreams under this partnership.

“We started several discussions some months ago and achieved a milestone today with the signing of this agreement. The State of Punjab has been conducting outreach to industries willing to relocate, and we look forward to CIG's expertise to support the attracting investments into the State of Punjab, and the overall economic development through our planned workstreams and capacity building sessions,” said Ms Vini Mahajan, IAS, ACS, Investment Promotion. The PBIP-CIG future workstreams would focus on Industrial Park Development, setting up of an International Advisory Council, Business process re-engineering for workflow enhancement, the examination of the Change of Land Use (CLU) regulatory approval processes and a communications strategy revamp.
“We started several discussions some months ago and achieved a milestone today with the signing of this agreement. The State of Punjab has been conducting outreach to industries willing to relocate, and we look forward to CIG's expertise to support the attracting investments into the State of Punjab, and the overall economic development through our planned workstreams and capacity building sessions.”
Ms Vini Mahajan
IAS, Additional Chief Secretary, Department of Investment Promotion, Industries & Commerce, Information Technology, Governance Reforms & Public Grievances, Government of Punjab
Mr Wu Wei Neng, Executive Director, Chandler Institute of Governance thanked Ms Vini Mahajan for her remarks and for gracing the ceremony. Mr Wu addressed the Invest Punjab leadership and said: “This agreement is a solid basis for our organisations to work together, to support investment promotion and economic development in Punjab. We look forward to moving ahead with the workstreams and projects that we have agreed on.”
“This agreement is a solid basis for our organisations to work together, to support investment promotion and economic development in Punjab. We look forward to moving ahead with the workstreams and projects that we have agreed on.”
Mr Wu Wei Neng
Executive Director, Chandler Institute of Governance
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About the Punjab Bureau of Investment Promotion (Invest Punjab)

Punjab Bureau of Investment Promotion (‘Invest Punjab’) is a premier Investment promotion and facilitation agency which acts as a first point of contact for investors in Punjab. It is a multidisciplinary body for investment promotion, regulatory clearances, fiscal incentives and continuous industry engagement. Invest Punjab provides a dedicated Relationship manager to every investor for complete handholding and a single point of communication. As the nodal agency, the Bureau has also been entrusted with the responsibility to market Punjab as an ideal investment destination and to ensure a smooth transition of projects from proposal stage up to implementation stage and also offers aftercare services.

For more news and information, visit http://investpunjab.gov.in/ or follow Invest Punjab on Twitter @invest_punjab, and Facebook and LinkedIn @investpunjab

About the Chandler Institute of Governance (CIG)

The Chandler Institute of Governance (CIG) is an international non-profit organisation, headquartered in Singapore. We believe in a world where citizens have a deep sense of trust in their governments and public institutions, and where nations are governed by principled, wise leaders supported by an effective civil service. Trust and effective governance serve as a strong foundation for national development and prosperity. CIG supports governments in building government talent, leadership and public service capabilities through training programmes, research initiatives and advisory work. We are not affiliated with any national government or political party, and we do not represent any partisan or commercial interests.

For more news and information, visit https://www.chandlerinstitute.org or follow CIG on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn @ChandlerINST
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For media clarifications, please contact:

Dominic GABRIEL (Mr)
Communications Manager
Chandler Institute of Governance
Clarissa LI (Ms)
Manager, Programmes and Partnerships
Chandler Institute of Governance