Industrial policy, clusters for manufacturing on anvil

Consultations on, survey initiated for new policy: Minister

Nirmala Sitharaman

The process for formulation of a new industrial policy has been initiated and consultations are being held with stakeholders, Parliament was informed today.

Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said consultations were on with industry bodies, academia, think-tanks, state governments and concerned ministries and departments of the central government. “Inputs are also being collected through a survey,” she said in a written reply to the Lok Sabha.

Manufacturing clusters

The government is also preparing a national plan for manufacturing clusters with an aim to bring about convergence in development of industrial areas by central and state governments.

Ms. Sitharaman said that inputs from central ministries and departments and states have been taken for development of an industrial information system. She said action for constitution of a committee to evolve a cluster framework had been taken.

“Yes. Government is preparing a national plan for manufacturing clusters. The Plan aims to bring about convergence in development of industrial areas by the central and state governments so as to bring about optimal utilisation of resources,” she said in a written reply to the Lok Sabha.

To a question on special economic zones, she said in April-June this fiscal, exports from SEZs stood at ₹1.38 lakh crore. The minister also said that in case of lack of substantive progress in the project or on a request by the developer, the Board of Approval cancels the letter of approval for the SEZ. So far, letters of approval of 109 SEZs have been cancelled.