Stating that there are many road blocks on the way to implement the National Manufacturing Policy (NMP), Tata Group chief Mr Ratan Tata on Friday said the government has at least made a good beginning that will help in boosting the sector’s growth.
“There may be many road blocks on the way to make that (NMP) actually implementable but we are on that path and I think its a tribute that a policy has been established and the government intends to stand by it,” Tata told reporters here after the first meeting of the reconstituted National Manufacturing Competitiveness Council (NMCC).
Without elaborating on hindrances that manufacturing sector is facing, he said that “things need to be resolved“.
In the absence of notifications by the ministries of labour, environment and finance, the much-publicised national manufacturing policy has not been made operational even four months after its clearance by the Cabinet.
The NMP would be a key enabler for setting of National Manufacturing and Investment Zones (NMIZs), including the ambitious Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC). It is expected to create 100 million new jobs by 2022.
Mr Tata said that all the members present in the meeting appreciated the policy and discussed about the ways to accelerate manufacturing in the country.
Commerce and industry Minister Mr Anand Sharma, who was also present in the meeting, said that by the end of March all the departments are expected to notify the policy.
“The policy as such is notified. There are some other departments notifications that has to be aligned with the Cabinet decision that is happening. I am sure by the end of March (it would happen),” he said.
Commenting about NMIZs, Mr Sharma said that the central government along with the states, which have created land banks, would move towards its implementation stage.
“Definitely by August this year, there will be some real progress on the ground,” he added.
The policy provides for certain relaxations with regard to environment and labour norms with inbuilt safeguards.
Besides, fiscal sops are also proposed. But these have to be notified by the concerned ministries.
While the Cabinet approved the NMP in October 2011, there were differences between the DIPP on the one hand and the ministries of labour and environment, on the other.
The NMP seeks to raise share of the manufacturing sector in the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to 25 per cent from the present 15-16 per cent in the next decade.
It envisages facilitation by the government in infrastructure development and improvement of the business environment through rationalisation and simplification of the regulatory framework.
Chaired by industry veteran Mr V Krishnamurthy, NMCC is an inter-disciplinary body which serves as a forum for promoting coherent policies for the manufacturing sector.
Besides, government officials, the other industry leaders attended the meeting include TVS Motor CMD Mr Venu Srinivasan, S Kumars Group Chairman Mr Mukul Kasliwal, ITC Ltd CMD Mr Y C Deveshwar, BHEL CMD Mr B P Rao and HCL Infosystems Chairman and CEO Mr Ajai Chowdhry.