Manufacturing blues
The Centre’s Production-Linked Incentives (PLI) scheme gave a big boost to mobile manufacturing, with smartphone exports having crossed $11 billion in 2022–23, besides benefiting the toy and defense sectors.
Despite these achievements, the contribution of the manufacturing sector to the GDP has been stagnant at 15–17 per cent. Measures such as quality control and tariff barriers to boost the manufacturing sector are steps in the right direction.
Much needs to be done to strengthen the manufacturing ecosystem in the country.
M Jeyaram
Sholavandan (Tamil Nadu)
NDA vs I.N.D.I.A
The Editorial ‘Complete disarray’ (January 30) aptly dissects the political scenario before Lok Sabha elections.
When INDIA was born with initiative efforts of Bihar CM Nitish Kumar to defeat NDA, none ever thought that the same protagonist will ambush INDIA itself to ensure NDA victory.
Apart from mutual distrust, personal ambitions too led to the Opposition alliance’s collapse. Rahul Gandhi’s wrongly timed Bharat Nyay yatra and Mamata Banerjee’s Ekla Chalo initiated the bickerings but before that Congress going alone in just concluded five Assembly elections precipitated mistrust among allies.
Thus blaming the BJP alone is not enough. A strong Opposition is the essence of democracy but people have to be convinced of its vision ideology and actions.
Vinod Johri
New Delhi
Apropos ‘Complete disarray’, the desertion of Nitish Kumar from the INDIA group has damaged it badly and it remains to be seen if the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra in Bihar will bolster the chances of INDIA.
Though at present it seems almost certain that the NDA will win in the next elections; it would be premature to write the INDIA group off. The mandir issue has created a huge wave in favour of the BJP. Inflation and unemployment remain the biggest bugbears of this government. Young voters disillusioned by lack of employment opportunities could upset the BJP’s apple cart.
Anthony Henriques
Mumbai
Human drain
This refers to the news report ‘US processed a record 1.4 million visa applications in India in 2023’ (January 30).
The rise in demand for US education by the Indian youth is a grim reflection of the higher education sector in the country.
Those who go to US for higher studies are likely to settle there resulting in the outflow of human capital too. The government must improve the quality of higher education.
S Ramakrishnasayee
Chennai