Vice President M.Venkaiah Naidu on Friday highlighted the role public sector enterprises played in the country's development.
Addressing the inaugural of the diamond jubilee celebrations of NMDC Ltd here, he said over the years the PSEs had helped the country in building a sustained industrial base and technological competencies in a number of areas. They have have “played a pioneering role in building the infrastructure, be it telecom, transportation, power, irrigation or road network,” he said.
Mr.Naidu said achieving self-sufficiency, reducing imports, promoting exports, removing regional disparities to ensure balanced development, preventing monopolies in private sector and providing employment were among the key objectives behind scores of PSEs across the country. “To a large extent, many PSEs worked towards fulfilling these objectives... there were also public-owned companies which failed to deliver the goods and that is a different story altogether.”
Need for change
Seeking to highlight the need for change, in the backdrop of opening up of the economy, he said the PSE, policy makers as well as the country's political leadership should introspect. “What are the areas we should focus and invest... and areas to be given to private sector. That should be new thinking,” he said.
The Vice President hailed the contribution of NMDC and urged the company to “look beyond conventional templates, take (up) skilling programmes for youth in a big way and give thrust to make in India initiative.” Tracing the growth of the company, chunk of whose mining operations is in Chhattisgarh, and its efforts in development of people in those areas, he underscored the need for mainstreaming of tribals. While the government has been working in this direction, people in those were suffering on account of extremism. “Violence has not helped the people, he said, urging Maoists to shun violence and contest elections. Ballot is more powerful than bullet. Please don't block the progress and growth of the area,” he said.
Corporate bodies like NMDC are setting high benchmark for other organisations to emulate, Mr. Naidu said, adding that the company had spent ₹798 crore in the last five years on a series of CSR initiatives. Besides being geared up to meet the expected increase in iron ore demand by enhancing production capabilities of existing mines and opening up new mines, it was also setting up a 3 million tonne steel plant at Nagarnar in Chhattisgarh.
Environmental friendly
CMD of NMDC N. Baijendra Kumar said the company, which achieved iron ore production of 34 MT last fiscal, was eyeing 100 MT by 2030. Union Steel Secretary Aruna Sharma said the company was adopting all environment friendly practices.
Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh Raman Singh, Union Minister of Steel Chaudhary Birender Singh were among those who spoke.
