‘Manufacturing sector’s contribution to GDP will increase’

HIGH HOPES:Functionaries of CII and EEDISSIA present their charter of demands to Union Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Nirmala Sitharaman in Erode on Friday. —PHOTO: M. GOVARTHAN

India is well on course to increasing the share of manufacturing sector to 25 per cent of GDP from the existing 17 per cent, Union Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Nirmala Sitharaman said on Friday.

In China, manufacturing sector contributes to 36 per cent of GDP and in Thailand it is 35 per cent. The Make in India initiative is essentially to create the right environment for manufacturing sector to grow alongside scaling up exports, the Minister said addressing a session on ‘Role of Central Government in Industrial and Agricultural Development of Erode’ and ‘Make in India’ organised by Confederation of Indian Industry Erode Zone and Erode District Small Scale Industries’ Association (EEDISSIA).

Such interactions, she said, was intended to understand ground level issues and devise intervention mechanisms. She reminded industries that they have to comply with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s emphasis on ‘Zero Defect Zero Effect’.

The product quality must be top-notch for export and at the same time, there must be no negative effect on environment.

The Minister said the grievances of turmeric growers would be addressed once the Spice Development Agency becomes fully functional with active involvement of the State Government. She said extending subsidies to industries for establishment of individual Effluent Treatment Plants was not feasible, but added that the ministry was open to get the collective view of the leather industry to revive vegetable tanning.

On Smart City, she said Erode’s uniqueness of fostering simultaneous growth of agriculture and industry must be taken into account in ground-level planning.

Ms. Sitharaman said the Ministry was keen to provide hand-holding support to enable the textile sector to make progress in the area of technical textile, which, she said, was the hope for future.

Extension of the Vizag-Chennai industrial corridor to Tuticorin that would pave way for construction of green field airports and development of inland water ways for transport of goods, and the initiatives taken to increase handling capacity of small ports through Sagarmala project for transport of inputs at lesser costs will expedite economic development in Tamil Nadu, she said.