We can help the food processing industry in Punjab – Australia Envoy
NewZNew (Chandigarh) : Australia has offered to share all its technical expertise, best practices and support in all possible ways to help Chandigarh attain the ‘Smart City’ status.
“We are keen to provide all possible assistance to Chandigarh Administration and CII in converting Chandigarh into a Smart City to provide atop quality of life to its citizens. If desired, we can share our best practices in various aspects like robust public transport, intelligent traffic management system, healthcare facilities, sound education facilities, maintenance of green cover, internet services, hygiene, waste disposal systems, proper sanitation, water and power management as applied in our cities like Sydney and Melbourne”, shared Mr Paul Suckling Australia’s High Commissioner to India, while interacting with the industry representatives at a session organised by Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) at its Northern Region Headquarters in sector 31 A, here today.
“We have also helped China and provided immense assistance in putting the intelligent traffic management system in place there. Chandigarh desperately needs an intelligent traffic management system, considering the ever rising population and number of cars here”, he added.
“Our aim is to strengthen the bilateral business and cultural ties between Australia and this part of India to boost economic growth of two countries. We have also planned to launch Student and entrepreneur exchange programmes between Australia and India to help them learn from each other”, he informed.
On the sound potential in agro and food processing sector in Punjab, he added that “There is immense untapped potential in the agro and food processing sector in Punjab and Haryana and we are fully committed to provide all technical assistance, share our best practices, innovations, latest technologies, R&D, advanced techniques and expertise to the food processing industry in the region. We have had numerous success stories in the food processing sector in Australia, which can help the Punjab industry in many ways. A sound food processing sector is also critical to improve the financial health and ensure financial stability of a farmer”.
“To enhance learning by sharing, we can also arrange delegation visits and exchange programmes between interested industry representatives from Punjab and Australia regularly”, he shared.
“Further, Punjab can also gain tremendously from our world class automation in dairy farming, irrigation facilities, cold chain and logistics management to reduce farm to fork wastages”, he added.
“We invite the industry from Punjab, Chandigarh and Haryana to partner with their counter parts in Australia in the sectors like Aerospace, Agro & Food Processing, Auto & Auto Components, Pharmaceuticals, Defence Manufacturing, Education, Electronics & Telecom, Engineering, Healthcare, IT & ITES, Renewable Energy, Textiles etc.
Mr Pikender Pal Singh, Regional Director, CII NR shared that “It is a continuous endeavour of CII to bring the best global and domestic opportunities to the regional industry for their expansion, partnership and diversification plans. Today’s session was one such initiative highlighting the key advantages of Australia as a partner in various programmes. There is vast untapped potential of trade and business ties between north India and Australia”.
Senior Officials including Mr Lachlan Scully, Second Secretary, Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade; Mr. Ashish Sharma, Business Development Manager (North India), Australian Trade Commission were also present at the occasion. The representatives from the industry included Dr Dinesh Dua, Vice Chairman, CII Chandigarh Council and CEO & Director, Nectar Lifesciences Ltd; Mr Vikram Hans, Past Chairman, CII Chandigarh Council & Chairman, Smart Chandigarh Initiative, Managing Director, Multi Overseas India Pvt Ltd; and Mr Man Mohan S Kohli, Past Chairman, CII Chandigarh Council & Chief Executive Officer, Aroma Group.
