No intention to give Tax Holiday Benefit status to Punjab: Budget session

The Minister of State, Shri Som Parkash in the Ministry of Commerce and Industry in a written reply to a question raised in Lok Sabha Stated, “No intention to give Tax Holiday Benefit status to Punjab.”

The Questions that was raised by Shri Sukhbir Singh Badal in Lok Sabha are as follows:

(a) whether the Government proposes to give Tax Holiday Benefit status to Punjab for being the border belt because of which industry could not come up there;

(b) if so, whether the Government is aware that unemployment has made Punjab vulnerable to cross border narco terrorism;

(c) whether the Government intends to handhold the youth of Punjab and grant industry Tax Holiday Benefit Status as was given to Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Jammu & Kashmir, if so, the details thereof;

(d) whether the Government proposes to give the special status for setting up industries along the border belt within 50 kms of the border;

(e) if so, the details thereof; and

(f) if not, the reasons therefor?

Replied by Shri Som Parkash:

As per the criteria decided by the Planning Commission vide D.O.No.32/28/2013-FR dated 22nd July, 2013, Special Category States are characterized by a number of features necessitating special consideration and the State of Punjab does not strictly qualify as per the criteria.