The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) president Sumit Mazumdar feels that a section of Indian industry’s expectations from the Modi government is ‘not always very realistic’ and is impractical.
Talking to The Hindu after addressing his maiden press meet on becoming CII Chief, Mr. Mazumdar, said: “after years of inaction…it is not correct to expect everything to get done in a year…it is impractical.”
He said that CII had exhorted other industry bodies to look at the positives rather than exhibit impatience as there was ‘no magic wand to undo the past in just a year’.
He hailed the Make-in-India as a landmark initiative in independent India to make the country a manufacturing hub, saying that the government had taken substantial action on easing business.
Responding to a question on areas where action is needed now, he said ‘the ease of business initiative needs to be taken further.’ CII also wanted to see some action on labour reforms. Some action had been initiated but there was more that needs to be done. “A lot of investment has not come as entrepreneurs are scared to invest…they cannot close down…if business outlook changes for worse,” he observed.
Agriculture and skill development were two other areas that need action, he said.
Admitting that government should look into agriculture, he said that there was need to make the sector less-prone to risks arising out of weather or crop wastage.
“There is need to set up more cold chains to address supply-side issues and modernise the sector. Streamline agriculture.. make it less risky” he said.
CII, Mr. Mazumdar said, would take up one pilot smart city project each in Maharashtra, Punjab and Andhra Pradesh.
CII Director General Chandrajit Banerjee said this was to assist and handhold selected city authorities with knowhow and best practices for capacity-building of urban local bodies. CII had has signed pacts with Siemens, Hitachi and Cisco for knowhow for these projects.
