category Regional, rajpura, , tags Regional, rajpura, , DW BUREAU Rajpura Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann Sunday said the state has received investments of more than Rs 50,000 crore in the past one-and-a-half years because of the concerted efforts of his government. Mann also said Punjab has complete communal harmony coupled with congenial atmosphere for industrial growth, which is giving impetus to its overall development and prosperity. The chief minister was addressing a gathering after laying the foundation stone of a Rs 138-crore cattle feed plant here which is to be set up by a Netherlands-based company, said an official statement. Farmers in Punjab and Haryana cultivating traditional crops are looking for ways to diversify their crops, or shift to horticulture, dairy, poultry, fishery, piggery and others for better earnings, said Mann. He said De Heus, an animal feed company, will set up the plant, adding that this is the first major investment by a Dutch company in Punjab. The Netherlands is known to be the second largest exporter of agricultural products in the world. This plant will produce a full livestock product portfolio of compound feed, concentrates, base mix and dairy mineral mixes, he added. In the first phase, the plant will produce 180 kilo metric tonne (KMT) of animal feed, with a potential to increase it to 240 KMT. He said the factory will have two dedicated lines for the production. Mann said he had promised last year to take steps for attracting investments and due to concerted efforts of the state government the captains of investments are coming to the state. Punjabis are born entrepreneurs and leaders due to which they have proved their mettle across the globe, he said. The hard work and resilience of the Punjabis is unmatched due to which they excel in every sphere, he said, adding that the government is making all out efforts to utilise this spirit properly for progress of the state. Due to concerted efforts of the state government, investments worth Rs 50,840 crore have been received in the state, he stated. Tata Steel has made the biggest investment in the state, said Mann, adding that other companies like Jindal Steel, Virgio, Tafe, and Hindustan Unilever are also making investments in the state. With this, 2.25 lakh youths will get employment in the state, said Mann, adding that the Dutch project is a big slap on the face of those who used to say that the state will not get any investment as he was targeting the opposition parties. Mann said like Punjabis, the Dutch people are also hard working and resilient. This collaboration will help people of both the countries to excel in this field and script a new success story of economic growth, he stated. Stating that Punjab is a land of opportunities and the gateway of the country, Mann said industrialists should make optimum use of the congenial atmosphere backed by excellent infrastructure, power, skilled human resources and best industrial and work culture to spread the business of their companies in the state. (editor dailyworld.in)