Finance in Punjab (State)

Punjab is a state of the Republic of India which is situated in the far north of the country, in the geographical boundary with Pakistan as part of the Punjab region. The state has a population of about 28 million inhabitants and its capital is Chandigarh, while other important cities include Amritsar, Jalandhar and Ludhiana. Until the independence of India in 1947, this territory was a province belonging to the British Empire that was divided between India and Pakistan, while in 1966 the Indian part was again divided in three to form the current state and the neighboring states of Haryana and Himachal Pradesh. At present day the state is recognized as a major agricultural center of the country and as the only one with a majority Sikh population.

Tourism has an important development in the state of Punjab, with great cultural attractions within its territory which includes regional festivals like Basant, Lohri, Baisakhi and Teej and museums such as the Maharaja Ranjit Singh Museum in Amritsar, the Sanghol Museum or the Angol Sikh War memorial at Ferozeshah. But the area also offers visitors historical buildings and large samples of Sikh architecture like the fort of Bathinda, the Gobindgarh Fort and the Summer Palace of Maharaja Ranjit Singh in Amritsar, the Mughal Serai in Nurmahal, the ruins of Aam Khas Bagh at Sirhind, the monuments of Kapurthala, Patiala and Chandigarh, and especially the Harmandir Sahib or Golden Temple in Amritsar, one of the main tourist attractions of the country.

The Punjabi cuisine is another major attraction for tourism in the region, with a huge variety of vegetarian and non vegetarian dishes that have achieved global fame. Among its main ingredients are ghee, wheat, rice and masala, while some of their traditional dishes include Sarso ka Saag, Tandoori Chicken, Bhuna Gosht and Maki ki Roti. The most important economic activity in the state is agriculture, with special emphasis on the production of wheat, while the industries of electrical goods, financial services, textiles, sports goods, fertilizers and bicycles, among others, also feature prominently.