TMCnet News
Big boost for Indian manufacturing [Mail Today (India)](Mail Today (India) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) THE NATIONAL Manufacturing Competitiveness Council ( NMCC), which has played a role in formulating India's chip manufacturing and IT hardware policies, has similar plans to boost manufacturing in the country's textile, steel and aviation sectors, says Ajay Shankar, membersecretary. Strategies suggested to the government by NMCC are at different stages of maturity, he adds. Formed in 2004, NMCC has 28 members including government nominees, industrialists, economists and lobby group representatives. As the council's name suggests, it advises the government on measures to make Indian manufacturing more competitive. On February 14, the Cabinet approved setting up of two semiconductor wafer fabrication manufacturing facilities in India — NMCC members played a key role in the homework behind many of the incentive schemes the government says it will offer. NMCC has now mooted proposals that would make India's steel sector grow. "We will try and assemble land for greenfield sites in partnership with state governments and get the first stage environmental and forest clearances, look at the logistics plan and then offer a well- developed site to private investors," says Shankar, adding: "In the last 15 years, getting a greenfield site has been a formidable challenge." Textile is a huge employment generator across the world and NMCC has suggested a host of measures to improve productivity in the sector. These include setting up hostels and dormitories for workers in textile parks which reduce their travel time and help them live healthy and hygienic lives. NMCC is also advising NMCC has mooted proposals that would make India's steel sector grow the government on the country's ambitious civilian aircraft project. India wants to design and develop a civilian aircraft in the 72 to 110 seater range. "This segment was chosen because all the smaller airports are in for modernisation and by 2020 there will be a market for aircraft of this size," says Shankar. The strategy, he added, is to choose an engine from a global manufacturer that is cost- competitive. "We will design and build an aircraft around the engine. The request for information for the engines is out. In the next few months, we will zero in on the engine. The government will fund the design and development of the aircraft," he says. The council's other efforts are around pilot projects to launch electric vehicles in cities, besides developing manufacturing facilities in the country for advanced materials, alloys and composites. "New materials are becoming game- changers for manufacturing across the world. We are seeing where we can do research and development. We are still working at it," Shankar says. (c) 2014 India Today Group. All Rights Reserved. Provided by Syndigate.info, an Albawaba.com company |