The manufacturing sector needs to become 'fashionable' at the shop level if the aspirations of young Indians are to be satisfied in the long term, said Amitabh Kant, the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) Secretary on Friday.

Addressing an event marking the launch of two new factories of construction equipments manufacturer JCB India, Kant believed the key challenge facing India was achieving sustained 9-10 per cent growth per annum for the next three decades and it would be impossible without boosting manufacturing.

"The challenge cannot be tackled unless manufacturing grows at 13-14 per cent each year. No country has managed growth over long periods without manufacturing," he said.

"Young Indians passing out of ITIs and IITs get into the services sectors, software and e-commerce and so on. India needs to make manufacturing at the shop level extremely fashionable for such young people," added Kant.

JCB benefits

Kant believed that projects like JCB's, a family-run enterprise currently chaired by Englishman Lord Anthony Bamford, would bring youngsters into the manufacturing fold through its incorporation of innovative technology and a 'Swachh' environment at the plants which were free of gender divides given a number of high quality female welders.

He also highlighted how companies like JCB would benefit from urbanisation trends and relaxation of FDI norms in construction.

"Over the next two decades, we are going to see 350 million Indians moving to urban areas. The latest McKinsey report indicates that number to be around 700 million by 2050. In the next two decades, India will have to construct more than it has in the last 5000 years. They will use JCB machinery made here," he said.

The two new plants, JCB's fourth and fifth, were established with an investment of Rs. 500 crore and are located in Bagru which is about 35 km from Jaipur. The company made its entry into India in 1979 and has three other domestic plants, two in Pune and one in Ballabgarh in Haryana.

Skill development

Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje also applauded Lord Bamford's efforts which have seen JCB become the fastest growing company in the domestic construction equipment and earthmoving segment.

Raje highlighted her Government's promise of providing 15 lakh jobs over the next five years and said efforts to promote skill development with the help of private partners and the Centre were underway.

"We have a Prime Minister who is full of energy and there's a thrust on thinking out of the box. That is extremely important as without taking risks there are no gains," said the Chief Minister.

She added that ITIs would be established to enhance skill development which will contribute to offering greater opportunities to the youth.

Raje also alluded to her first stint as CM and said that that administration had taken up financial inclusion at a time "when it wasn't in style" and believed that similar programmes in the area of skill development would benefit industry players in the State.

"We'll be able to give you people suited to your work. We want tell those interested to come to Rajasthan. The Government will walk shoulder to shoulder with you and support you," she said.

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