Hyderabad: Satnam Singh Sandhu on Monday said Punjab’s new economic roadmap would be developed on the lines of N. Chandrababu Naidu’s “Speed of Doing Business” model to accelerate industrial growth, attract investments and create large-scale employment opportunities for youth in the state.
During a high-level meeting with Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, Rajya Sabha MP Satnam Singh Sandhu discussed Andhra Pradesh’s successful industrial policies, governance reforms and technology-driven development model.
Sandhu said the aim is to prepare a comprehensive strategy to transform Punjab from a traditional agriculture-based economy into a major hub for IT, Artificial Intelligence (AI), semiconductors, entrepreneurship and healthcare sectors.
He said Andhra Pradesh’s governance model, which focuses on the “Speed of Doing Business” rather than just “Ease of Doing Business”, could play a crucial role in Punjab’s economic revival if implemented effectively in the state.
Andhra Pradesh’s High-Speed Industrial Model Highlighted
According to Sandhu, Andhra Pradesh has attracted 216 major industrial projects worth Rs 8.67 lakh crore under Chandrababu Naidu’s fast-track administrative approach.
He highlighted the state government’s “4P Model” — People, Public, Private Partnership — under which industries are being offered 100 per cent SGST reimbursement and land at nominal prices.
Sandhu also praised Andhra Pradesh’s “One Family, One Entrepreneur” scheme, saying it could become an effective model for generating self-employment opportunities in Punjab’s villages and cities while encouraging entrepreneurial talent among the youth.
MP Reviews Quantum Computing and Real-Time Governance Facilities
During his visit, Sandhu toured India’s first indigenous open-access quantum computer facility, the Amaravati Quantum Reference Facility, and also reviewed the functioning of Andhra Pradesh’s Real-Time Governance Centre.
The centre integrates dashboards of various government departments into a central command system, enabling direct monitoring of public grievances and governance activities by the Chief Minister in real time.
Sandhu said Punjab urgently requires such a technology-driven governance system to ensure transparency, efficiency and accountability in administration.
Hyderabad’s IT Success Story Seen as Inspiration for Punjab
Sandhu praised Chandrababu Naidu’s role in establishing Hyderabad as a global IT hub through projects such as HITEC City, Cyber Towers and Genome Valley in the late 1990s.
He said Hyderabad’s IT ecosystem now supports more than 1,500 companies and provides direct employment to nearly 9.39 lakh professionals.
He further pointed out that Andhra Pradesh is now leading India’s AI revolution through Google’s proposed $15 billion data centre project in Visakhapatnam.
The state government is also training around 45 lakh citizens in quantum computing, AI and cyber security with support from IBM, IIT Madras and the UN International Computing Centre.
Punjab’s Semiconductor and Tech Potential Discussed
Highlighting Punjab’s industrial potential, Sandhu said the Centre has allocated Rs 4,500 crore under the India Semiconductor Mission for the modernisation and expansion of the Semiconductor Laboratory (SML) in Mohali.
He said if Punjab adopts a similar deep-tech industrial blueprint as Andhra Pradesh, Mohali could emerge as one of India’s largest semiconductor manufacturing hubs.
Sandhu also stressed the need to study Andhra Pradesh’s globally recognised Climate Resilient Zero Budget Natural Farming (CRZBNF) model to promote crop diversification in Punjab.
Amaravati’s Future-City Vision Also Reviewed
The discussions also focused on the development of Amaravati as India’s first futuristic global city being built under the “Viksit Bharat” vision.
The city is expected to have a population of 35 lakh and create around 15 lakh jobs by 2050. Amaravati will include nine specialised theme-based sub-cities focused on governance, justice, education, healthcare and technology.
The city is also expected to become the world’s first 100 per cent renewable energy-powered mega city, generating 2,700 MW electricity through solar, wind and hydropower.
Officials said India’s first indigenous quantum computer is also expected to be operational there by December 2026 with support from companies like IBM, TCS and L&T.
‘Punjab Needs Economic Revival and Transparent Governance’
Sandhu said people of Punjab are looking for transparent governance, economic revival and long-term stability.
“Our main objective is to learn from Andhra Pradesh’s successful industrial, governance and technological model and create a similar ecosystem in Punjab so that the youth can find employment opportunities within the state and are not forced to migrate abroad,” he said.