New Delhi, March 23 -- Punjab's industrial landscape received a significant boost on Friday as Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann inaugurated Tata Steel's second-largest plant in India in Ludhiana, positioning it as a key milestone in the state's push to revive manufacturing and generate employment.

The Rs.3,200-crore facility, spread over 115 acres, is expected to create direct employment for around 2,700 people and indirect opportunities for up to 10,000 more, according to the state government. The plant also marks a technological shift, becoming the first in India to use green energy-based Electric Arc Furnace (EAF) technology for steel production.

Calling it a "red-letter day" for Punjab, Mann said the project reflects renewed inves...