 "Govt to set up board under Sharma to boost industrial output")
The government on Sunday set up a high-level board under Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma to boost the manufacturing sector, reflecting urgency to reverse contraction in the industrial output.
The decision to set up the board comes within days of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh constituting the Investment Tracking System to give a push to mega projects of over Rs 1,000 crore in the backdrop of economic growth sliding to nine-year low of 6.5 percent in 2011-12.
The 13-member Manufacturing Industry promotion Board (MIPB), as notified by the government on Sunday, would periodically review the overall situation of the manufacturing sector, which contracted to 0.3 percent during the quarter ending March 31, from 7.3 percent in the corresponding period of 2010-11.
“The Board has been tasked to periodically review the overall situation of the manufacturing sector in the country. This will include review of state-wise and sector-wise performance of the manufacturing sector,” said a commerce ministry statement.
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The MIPB, set up to give a big push to operationalise the National Manufacturing Policy (NMP), would also coordinate among central ministries and state governments. Secretaries of departments such as economic affairs, revenue, labour, MSME, road transport and environment would be ex-officio members of MIPB. Besides, it also comprises of industry representatives.
The government has formed three more panels - High Level Committee (HLC), Green Manufacturing Committee (GMAC) and Board of Approval (BoA)- for the proper implementation of the NMP. The policy seeks to raise share of the manufacturing sector in the GDP to 25 percent from the present 15-16 percent in the next decade.
The NMP would be a key enabler for setting of National Investment and Manufacturing Zones (NMIZs), including the ambitious Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC). It is expected to create 100 million new jobs by 2022.
While the 12-member GMAC would prescribe criteria for categorising a technology as clear and green, the eight-member HLC would monitor the implementation of manufacturing policy and would monitor the implementation of the policy provisions on a regular basis and resolve inter-ministerial issues.
The 12-member BoA would look into the matters pertaining to NIMZs such as examination of applications. These zones are planned big enclaves with world class infrastructure that could even subsume special economic zones.The GMAC would review the eligibility criteria annually as technology is dynamic and evolving constantly. It would operate and review the Technology Acquisition and Development Fund, the statement said. It would also formulate guidelines for the developers and units for rainwater harvesting.
PTI
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