Chandigarh, October 2026 : Punjab is emerging as a preferred destination for investors with a renewed focus on ease of doing business, transparency and employment generation. Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Thursday launched the ‘Hunar Punjab’ and ‘Fast-Track Punjab’ portals in Chandigarh, saying the platforms will ensure all necessary approvals through a single-window mechanism within 45 days, enable transparent tracking of financial incentives and connect industries directly with skilled youth.
Mann said Punjab has attracted investments worth Rs 1.89 lakh crore since 2022, generating 6.31 lakh employment opportunities. He said the government’s objective is to create employment opportunities for the state’s youth within Punjab and contribute towards rebuilding a prosperous ‘Rangla Punjab’.
Sharing his views on social media platform X, Mann said the two portals had been launched to strengthen investor confidence. He said the Hunar Punjab portal would connect young people with employment opportunities close to their homes while helping industries access skilled manpower.
The Financial Incentives Module (Passbook) under the Fast-Track Punjab portal has also been launched to provide investors with transparent information about available incentives and facilities and allow them to track these benefits online.
Addressing a press conference after the launch, Mann said the two portals marked an important step for Punjab’s industries and youth. He said Hunar Punjab would bridge the gap between industries and skilled young people and create more employment opportunities within the state.
The Chief Minister said around 1,750 institutions have already registered on the Hunar Punjab portal. Local skilled youth will be given priority for employment opportunities in the industrial sector, while companies will be able to directly connect with and recruit skilled candidates through the platform.
Mann said the Punjab government has implemented e-office and online systems across departments to curb corruption and improve transparency in government functioning. These systems, he said, are reducing unnecessary delays and making administrative processes more accountable.
Describing Hunar Punjab as a single platform for talent, networking and employment, Mann said it addresses key gaps such as inadequate information about available talent, differing requirements of industries and institutions, weak demand-supply linkages and the absence of defined response timelines.
He said Hunar Punjab and Fast-Track Punjab would serve as key platforms for skill development and employment, bringing together four major areas — institution discovery, recruitment and employment, internships and industrial training, and industry-institution collaboration.
More than 1,700 institutions across seven administrative departmental categories have already joined the platform, Mann said. The system incorporates defined timelines and accountability for the disposal of applications and requests. Dedicated dashboards have also been developed for industries, institutions and departments.
The platform will provide help-desk support as well as mechanisms for addressing queries and grievances, making the process simpler and more transparent for all stakeholders.
Mann said Hunar Punjab would facilitate end-to-end internships and industrial training through collaboration among industries, institutions, students, alumni and government departments. It would provide a structured framework to connect young people with practical training and employment opportunities.
The portal will also formalise MoU-based industry-institution partnerships, covering guest lectures, faculty development, on-the-job training, placements, curriculum inputs, infrastructure and technical support, as well as CSR collaboration.
On Fast-Track Punjab, Mann said the state had emerged as a preferred destination for investors, with all necessary approvals available through a single-window system. Investors applying through the portal will receive the required approvals within 45 days, he said.
The Chief Minister added that the portal’s Financial Incentives Module would provide transparent information on financial concessions available to investors. Instead of dealing with multiple offices and procedures, investors would be able to track their incentives through the portal itself.
Mann said the government’s primary objective was to ensure that Punjab’s youth find employment within the state and that the state’s talent contributes to its economic growth.
He also criticised previous governments, saying they organised investment summits and signed MoUs, but companies often did not subsequently invest in Punjab. The present government’s investor-friendly policies and business environment, he claimed, were encouraging companies to invest in the state.
Industry, Commerce and Investment Promotion Minister Aman Arora said the two portals would ensure greater transparency in the department’s functioning. He said the Department of Industries and Investment Punjab was digitising its operations on the Chief Minister’s directions to ensure that investment projects and related processes faced no unnecessary hurdles.
Arora said industry plays an important role in Punjab’s development and that the new portals would help businesses access skilled manpower while ensuring employment opportunities for the state’s youth.
Chief Secretary K.A.P. Sinha and other senior state government officials were also present on the occasion.
