NITI Aayog council meeting highlights: Kataria promotes benefits to draw investments in Chandigarh
In Chandigarh, the city's administrator, Gulab Chand Kataria, has urged the central government to devise a special incentive framework akin to the Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT City) model. This call was made at the 10th governing council meeting of NITI Aayog, on May 24, 2025, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The objective behind this initiative is to bolster economic growth in Chandigarh and attract investments. As a Union Territory, Chandigarh faces limitations when it comes to offering crucial financial incentives—such as tax exemptions, subsidies, and sectoral incentives—necessary to foster such growth.
Acting on its ambition to become a national skill hub specializing in green technologies, Chandigarh is seeking a tailored incentive framework that would make it more appealing and competitive for green technological investments and skill development initiatives.
During the aforementioned meeting, Kataria highlighted Chandigarh’s remarkable transformation over the years, from a city originally designed for 5 lakh residents to its current population of over 12.43 lakh. Additionally, he underscored the city’s achievements, including its electrical distribution privatization—a first among Union Territories, the development of the Zirakpur Bypass, and an outstanding performance in education.
The administrator further detailed the expansion of skill hubs aligned with the National Education Policy 2020, aimed at preparing the youth for future-ready careers. He emphasized Chandigarh's commitment to promoting innovation, particularly among women entrepreneurs, and enhancing its tourism infrastructure in line with sustainable, citizen-centric services, and renewable energy integration.
Furthermore, Kataria expressed a need for reforms to enhance women's workforce participation and reaffirmed Chandigarh’s dedication to fostering an environment conducive to women’s empowerment and economic inclusion.
Recently, Chandigarh introduced a dedicated Startup Policy (2025) comprising a structured financial incentive framework to support local innovation and entrepreneurship. This proactive measure underscores the city's commitment to stimulating economic growth even as the special incentive framework request is under consideration at the central government level.
- In his call for a special incentive framework like the GIFT City model, Gulab Chand Kataria highlighted the need to strengthen Chandigarh's infrastructure and attract investments in various sectors, including education and green technologies.
- To bolster economic growth and become a national skill hub, Chandigarh is seeking an incentive framework that would facilitate green technological investments and skill development initiatives.
- Technology innovation, particularly among women entrepreneurs, is of great importance to Chandigarh, which is also committed to improving its tourism infrastructure with sustainable, citizen-centric services and renewable energy integration.
- Chandigarh's dedication to promoting women's empowerment and economic inclusion extends to reforming policies aimed at enhancing women's workforce participation.
- The city's Startup Policy (2025) includes a structured financial incentive framework to support local innovation and entrepreneurship, showing Chandigarh's proactive approach towards stimulating economic growth.
- At the international level, Chandigarh's accomplishments have broadened its reputation, with outstanding performance in education and electrical distribution privatization models being some of its key achievements as recognized by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other global leaders.
