category Regional, chandigarh, , tags Regional, chandigarh, , DW BUREAU Chandigarh In order to make Punjab number one state in the country, Punjab Government led by Chief Minister S Bhagwant Mann has been making concerted efforts to ensure conducive atmosphere for industries, MSMEs and startups, said Mr Aman Arora, Minister of Employment Generation, Skill Development and Training, who was the chief guest at curtain raiser and felicitation event of TiEcon Chandigarh. He gave away the Software Technology Parks of India (STPI) Awards for Excellence and Growth to seventeen IT companies to acknowledge and recognise their stellar efforts in transforming the region as IT hub. Expressing concern over brain drain, Mr Aman Arora said that the IT sector could play a pivotal role to reverse this trend and Software Technology Parks of India (STPI) and TiE should come forward to supplement the efforts of the state government in this regard. Punjab is predominantly an agrarian state and it has immense potential to be a leader in the food processing sector. The state has one of the most intensive human resources industry which can be a game changer for the IT sector and the Punjab Government has a vision to make Punjab, especially SAS Nagar (Mohali), a world-class IT hub, he added. Mr Aman Arora stated that the state has rolled out new Industrial and Business Development Policy envisages transforming Punjab into a major industrial and export hub, besides facilitating manufacturing and services sector by creating an investor friendly environment. Punjab is home to two International airports (Mohali Amritsar) and four domestic airports, besides one the best road and rail connectivity in the country. Apart from this, a feasibility study is being conducted to start metro service to six major cities of the state, the Cabinet Minister informed. (editor dailyworld.in)