Demographic Advantage

As per the 2011 Census, Punjab has a population of over 27.7 Mn, contributing about 2.3% of India's total population. The state has a literacy rate of approximately 75.84%.The male-female ratio in the state was also improved and is at 895 females per 1,000 males.

There has also been a consistent increase in the population in working groups, i.e., 15 to 64 years, which has grown to 73.5% in 2020 from 67.7% of the population in 2011.

Healthcare Facilities

With the highest life expectancy at birth among all the states, at 74.5 years, Punjab has consistently performed better in major indicators and is making efforts to modernize healthcare facilities in the state.

Punjab has launched a universal health insurance program, which aims to provide free and quality healthcare services to all citizens in both government and approved private hospitals. The program covers approximately 110 Mn people. Punjab has the fourth highest proportion of children with full basic vaccination coverage among states. The state also has the presence of leading hospitals like Max Hospital, Fortis Hospital, Apollo Hospital, Ivy Hospital, and Dayanand Medical College & Hospital. In the recent past, the state government has successfully operationalised super-specialty cancer and trauma hospitals at Mohali and super-specialty cancer and cardiac hospitals at Bathinda with Max Healthcare through a public-private partnership.

Punjab has also earmarked a budget for the development of a mega cluster in Medicity, Chandigarh, spanning over 258 acres to promote medical tourism in the state.

Educational Facilities

As per the 2011 Census, the literacy rate of Punjab is 75.84%, in comparison to the national average of 72.99%. The Periodic Labour Force Survey Report 2020-21 indicated a rise in the literacy rate of the state to 82.6%. Furthermore, Punjab has already achieved a 100% gross enrollment ratio at the primary and upper-primary levels, underscoring the crucial initiatives taken by the state government.

As per the Directorate of School Education, there are 13,536 primary schools in the state in 2021-22, 4,186 senior secondary schools, and 5,337 high schools. In the year 2022-23, vocational education was provided to students of 989 government senior secondary schools. Trades such as agriculture, automobile, beauty and wellness, healthcare, IT/ITES, physical education, retail, security, and travel and tourism are being taught under this program.

Technology & Advancement

Punjab has been one of the few states to apply technological innovations in primary sectors like agriculture with well-planned and defined irrigation facilities and the use of high-yielding variety seeds in the early stages of development.

SAS Nagar (Mohali) has been declared as the Brownfield Electronic Cluster and will be developed as an IT region to promote the IT and electronics sector. Mohali is also home to a software technology park. Keeping in line with the booming IT sector, the state has a strong presence of 740 registered IT units. Through the Bio-resource Processing Facility and Rural Innovation & Application Centre set up by the Punjab State Council for Science and Technology, it has been involving local cooperatives in the Shivalik Foothill belt, the backward area of Punjab, and generating employment.

Infrastructure

Punjab is well connected with other cities across India. Punjab has a robust infrastructure, offering extensive access to the state's resources.

The road network is the backbone of the transport sector. The state of Punjab has one of the largest road densities per 100 sq km, as per Basic Road Statistics 2019, and has a total road length of 147,862 km.

Punjab boasts a dense railway network, consisting of 2,775 running track km, which represents 2.75% of the total railway network. Punjab is also part of the Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor, opening up several trade opportunities in the state. Also, Punjab is home to five airports, including one international airport in Amritsar, which connects the state to various major cities and foreign destinations. 

Furthermore, Punjab's telecom network is relatively developed, boasting a higher wireless tele-density and more internet subscribers per 100 population compared to the national average. The state also offers one of the cheapest power facilities at INR 5.

Sustainability Initiatives

In NITI Aayog's SDG India Index 2020-21, Punjab has ranked 12th among the states in the overall ranking. To stay in line with sustainability goals, the state has also developed the goal-wise State Indicator Framework. This includes an online dashboard that generates quality reports using data analytics to monitor indicators associated with SDGs and informs timely interventions to help accelerate their progress.

With an installed capacity of ~58 GW in renewable energy, Punjab offers a vast opportunity to tap the solar and wind energy capabilities of the state.