A Group of Ministers (GoM) chaired by the Agriculture Minister, Mr Sharad Pawar, on Friday gave the green signal to the National Manufacturing Policy. It aims to take the share of manufacturing in the GDP to 25 per cent by 2025 and create 100 million jobs.

The final draft will be ready on Friday night and will be forwarded to all the ministries concerned. Mr Pawar said an improved draft would be put up before the Union Cabinet soon.

“There were certain issues raised by (the Ministries of) Environment, Labour and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises. We succeeded, we discussed in depth and found some solution,” Mr Pawar told reporters after the meeting.

He added, “There was a request that if this proposal is briefed to the West Bengal Chief Minister (Ms Mamata Banerjee) it will be better. So we will brief. (There is) nothing wrong in that.”

Incidentally, senior Trinamool Congress leader and the Railways Minister, Mr Dinesh Trivedi, is a member of the GoM.

Queried if all the outstanding issues have been ironed out, Mr Pawar said “definitely we can say that”.

The GoM was formed last month to sort out the differences between some ministries, including the Commerce and Industry, Environment and Labour. The policy proposes easing of environment and labour laws and reduction of the industry's compliance burden.

A major issue during the GoM meeting on Friday was the apprehension of the Labour and Environment Ministries about their decision making role.

Sources said it was decided that the Special Purpose Vehicle (in the integrated mega National Investment and Manufacturing Zones or NMIZs envisaged under the policy) will have a Chief Executive Officer only when the these two Ministries give their assent.

The States were also concerned about the composition of the SPV. It is now agreed that the representatives from the States will also be included in the SPV.

NMIZs are mega manufacturing enclaves with world-class infrastructure that could comprise even several Special Economic Zones.

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