Punjab Employment Subsidy: Anchor Units

Under Clause 12.9 of the Industrial and Business Development Policy 2022, Punjab provides a subsidy to anchor units that recruit workers locally. For each employee, the unit receives ₹36,000 annually, payable for up to 5 years starting from the date of commercial production. Where the employee is a woman or belongs to the SC/BC/OBC categories, the rate rises to ₹48,000 per employee per year across the same 5-year period.

Eligibility is restricted to directly recruited employees who hold Punjab domicile. Every such employee must also carry a unique identification number if PF is being subscribed, or an ESIC number if ESI contribution is being paid.

These requirements carry practical consequences. Labour engaged on contract through a manpower agency does not qualify, and neither does staff who remain outside the PF or ESI rolls — in either case, the unit can claim nothing under this clause.

1. Obtain Anchor Unit status for the project from the Government of Punjab, in accordance with the Industrial and Business Development Policy 2022. 2. Hire employees directly on the unit's own payroll and register them under PF or ESI, whichever applies. 3. Keep domicile proof, UAN/ESIC numbers and monthly wage records on file for every employee claimed. 4. Submit the annual employment generation subsidy claim, together with payroll and statutory returns, through the Invest Punjab Business First portal. 5. For each eligible employee, the subsidy is disbursed at ₹36,000 or ₹48,000 for that year, for a maximum of 5 years.

The department first confirms anchor status. It then validates every employee put forward, checking direct recruitment, Punjab domicile and the PF/ESI record, and only after that does it disburse the per-employee rate that applies.