The two-day second Process Engineering Conference 2012 and Fourth Hitex International Machine Tool Expo got underway here today with a focus on energy savings in the manufacturing sector.

State to offer incentives

Inaugurating the Expo and Conference at Hitex here today, the Andhra Pradesh Minister for Mines and Geology, Galla Aruna Kumari, said the State Government is encouraging the setting up of new industries by offering various incentives under the industrial policy 2010-2015.

Highlighting the importance of optimising the utilisation of natural resources, while taking care of environment and local population, she said mineral-based industries too need value addition production and process technologies.

The Minister said the State Government has identified the mining sector as one of the growth engines for overall development of industry and infrastructure. Under the Chief Minister, N. Kiran Kumar Reddy, the focus has been on attracting investors facilitating them with necessary support. The exposition has a concurrent conference on process engineering where the focus is on energy efficiency and power optimisation. In his opening remarks, Devendra Surana, President of Fapcci, said Andhra Pradesh is second largest producer of machine tools products in the country. He said industries are faced with huge challenges due to tough economic conditions and demand-supply gap of energy.

Energy conservation

B. G. Shankar, Managing Director of AGS Energy Conservation, said even a five per cent improvement in efficiency by energy intensive industries in the country, can bring about huge savings.

While there was no incentive for companies to consider energy saving aspect, now the PAT (perform, achieve and trade) scheme has provided the necessary impetus to address energy saving.

It is rewarding and the payback is also fast for companies which take to energy conservation, he said.

> rishikumar.vundi@thehindu.co.in

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