Punjab Govt To Invest Rs 200 Cr In R&D & Testing Facilities For MSMEs Growth

Chandigarh, Aug 26 (KNN) Punjab’s local industry has welcomed the state government’s decision to invest Rs 200 crore in strengthening research and development (R&D) and testing facilities, calling it a crucial step toward enhancing the competitiveness of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), Times of India reported.

Punjab Industry Minister Sanjeev Arora, accompanied by Surbhi Malik, Director, Industries and senior officials, announced the initiative during a visit to the Institute of Autoparts & Hand Tools (IAHT) in Ludhiana, where he reviewed the institute’s roadmap for growth and held discussions with industry stakeholders.

Arora said the investment would focus on modern equipment and infrastructure to accelerate product development, improve testing and certification processes, and sharpen MSMEs’ competitiveness. 

“Nearly Rs 200 crore worth of modern equipment will be deployed across Punjab to build state-of-the-art facilities,” he noted.

Industrialists described the move as long overdue, given the sector’s reliance on external testing facilities and its struggle to compete globally. 

Upkar Singh Ahuja, board member at IAHT, said Punjab’s MSMEs are ‘dynamic and innovation-ready’ and can move up the value chain with world-class R&D aligned to BIS norms. 

He highlighted opportunities in electric vehicles, components, and power tools, sectors seeing strong global demand.

Industry associations underscored that the initiative could help transition Punjab’s industries from cost-driven suppliers to innovation-driven global players. 

Officials from the industries department assured that the programme would be implemented quickly and with minimal bottlenecks. 

(KNN Bureau)