No monopoly in cable business, will ensure level-playing field: CM

CHANDIGARH: Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Thursday assured the Hinduja Group that his government would not allow any monopoly or “goondagardi” in the cable business in the state.

“The government will ensure level- playing field for all players,” the chief minister said, giving an assurance to the top management of the Hinduja Group, led by its chairman Ashok P Hinduja, at a meeting in Mumbai on Wednesday evening.

Capt made it clear that his government would not, at any cost, allow anyone to browbeat cable operators opting for NXT Digital – the HITS (Headend-inThe- Sky) digital services platform launched by the group two years ago.

Amarinder, who was meeting Hinduja for the second time since taking over as CM, assured the group that Punjab would not allow its cable business to be monopolised, as had been done during the rule of the erstwhile SAD- BJP government. All players in the field would be treated equally, and provided the same facilities, infrastructural support and incentives to invest and grow in the state, he promised.

The CM, who was in Mumbai for the past two days to draw industry and business to the state, urged the Hindujas to explore investment in Punjab in various areas, including electric vehicles. “The state government is keen to go in for clean and green transportation, of which electric vehicles is an important aspect,” he said.

AMARINDER SINGH, WHO WAS IN MUMBAI FOR THE PAST TWO DAYS TO WOO INDUSTRY, ASSURED THE HINDUJA GROUP THAT ‘GOONDAGARDI’ IN THE CABLE BUSINESS WILL NOT BE ALLOWED