Punjab Governor Gulab Chand Kataria on Thursday said maintaining a balance between industrial development and environmental protection was the need of the hour. Describing the industry as backbone of the nation, he urged industrialists to support the cleaning of the Buddha Nullah to improve public health and the environment. He was in the city to chair “Samagam 4.0 — Leaders Conclave 2026”, at Park Plaza here. Kataria praised the local industrial community for its technical expertise and innovative mindset. He highlighted how entrepreneurs from state delivered practical solutions during challenging times, including the development of amphibious all-terrain vehicles that helped rescue people during the recent floods. Calling cleaning of the Buddha Nullah his “dream project,” the Governor said pollution had become a major health concern for residents. He appealed to industrialists to join the mission, drawing inspiration from the teachings of Guru Nanak Dev. Kataria advocated for promotion of startups and innovation-driven entrepreneurship across the state. He said startups had the potential to become a major force in tackling unemployment by generating new opportunities for youth and encouraging self-reliance. Stressing the need for consistent financial assistance, mentoring and incubation support, he urged large industrial houses and established business leaders to guide and invest in young entrepreneurs. He noted the state’s youth possessed immense talent, technical skills and entrepreneurial spirit, but required an ecosystem to transform ideas into successful ventures. Kataria encouraged educational institutions, industries and government bodies to work together for creating innovation hubs and startup-friendly policies that can help the state emerge as a leading destination for technology, manufacturing and sustainable enterprises. Agri varsity business incubator awardedPunjab Agricultural University’s Punjab Agri Business Incubator (PABI) bagged the “Best Incubator Award” during the conclave.
The event brought together leading entrepreneurs, investors, academic institutions, incubators and policymakers from across the state to celebrate its startup ecosystem.
Governor Gulab Chand Kataria appreciated the efforts being made by institutions and incubators in creating an enabling environment for startups and innovation-driven enterprises.
The award was received by a PABI team comprising TS Riar, principal investigator; Poonam Sachdev, co-principal investigator; Karanvir Gill, business manager; and Rahul Gupta, assistant manager.
The recognition honours PABI’s contribution towards strengthening agri-business entrepreneurship, startup incubation, rural innovation and technology-driven enterprise development in the state. Through mentoring, training, funding facilitation, networking and institutional support, PABI has played a significant role in nurturing innovative startups in the agriculture and allied sectors.
V-C Gosal hails PABI team
Vice-Chancellor Satbir Singh Gosal congratulated the PABI team and said the award was a reflection of the PAU’s commitment towards fostering innovation, entrepreneurship and sustainable agri-business development.
He appreciated the dedicated efforts of the incubator in supporting young innovators and startups, and emphasised the PAU would continue to promote research-led entrepreneurship for the benefit of farmers, rural communities and the agricultural ecosystem at large.
