Punjab has been recognised as a “Leader State” in the Export Preparedness Index (EPI) 2024, released by NITI Aayog, informed Sanjeev Arora, Cabinet Minister for Industries & Commerce, Investment Promotion, Power, Local Government Punjab.
The Export Preparedness Index (EPI) is a comprehensive, data-driven framework developed by NITI Aayog to assess the export readiness of Indian States and Union Territories. It evaluates performance across four key pillars—Policy Framework, Business Environment, Export Ecosystem, and Export Performance—using more than 70 indicators, including institutional capacity, R&D infrastructure, logistics, and transport connectivity. The index promotes competitive federalism while enabling states to identify strategic areas for enhancing global trade competitiveness.
The EPI 2024 report was released by BVR Subrahmanyam, CEO, NITI Aayog, and Arvind Virmani, Member, NITI Aayog, who lauded Punjab for its notable gains in this year’s assessment, reflecting strengthened policy support, infrastructure development, and a growing export ecosystem.
*A Remarkable Ascent for Punjab*
The Cabinet Minister Sanjeev Arora highlighted that Punjab has secured the 2nd position among Landlocked States in EPI-2024 and has been categorised as a “Leader State.” This achievement is especially significant as five of the top seven ranked states are coastal states with inherent access to seaports.
Despite being landlocked, Punjab’s rise into the top tier underscores the State’s success in overcoming logistical challenges through focused policy interventions, strong internal connectivity, and sustained infrastructure upgrades.
*Drivers of Success: Policy Reforms and Governance*
Shri Sanjeev Arora emphasised that EPI-2024 places renewed focus on policy implementation, administrative reforms, and outcome-based performance, offering a realistic reflection of a state’s industrial and export health. Punjab’s advancement is a direct outcome of:
Progressive, sector-specific industrial policies for textiles, agri-processing, manufacturing, and allied sectors.
Ease of Doing Business reforms, including simplified regulatory approvals and lifecycle facilitation.
A resilient export ecosystem, supporting MSMEs as well as large-scale exporters
Institutional strengthening and logistics facilitation, enabling competitiveness despite geographical constraints.
He further noted that Punjab has consistently earned national recognition, including being ranked among Top Achievers in Ease of Doing Business 2024 and winning Gold in the State Category at the ODOP Awards 2024, reflecting the State’s business-friendly and reform-oriented governance.
The Cabinet Minister reaffirmed the Government of Punjab’s commitment to deepening these reforms and strengthening export-oriented infrastructure, ensuring that Punjab continues to play a pivotal role in India’s journey towards becoming a global export powerhouse.
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