Policy on manufacturing by year-end: Sharma

JAIPUR - Union Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma Saturday said a national manufacturing policy (NMP) is likely to be in place by this year-end.

“The draft of the policy is in the final stage of consultations with all the stake holders,” he told reporters here.

He added that encouraging the manufacturing sector was necessary to increase its share in the gross domestic product and attract investment from overseas and within the country.

Sharma, who is a Rajya Sabha MP from Rajasthan, was in Jaipur for consultations with Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and senior officials regarding the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC) roadmap.

The minister said that the NMP, once in place, is likely to double the productivity of the manufacturing sector in the next five years, while trebling employment.

He also held discussion on investment in the state including the manufacturing sector.

Sharma said under the NMP there would be integrated industrial development that would comprise of greenfield industrial townships with infrastructure facilities like roads, power, water, effluent treatment plants, residential and educational facilities. High technology hubs will also be part of these zones.

The minister also informed about investment proposals for Rajasthan including setting up an aerotropolis, spices park, a footwear design institute and power plants over the next few years.

“The manufacturing investment zones will come up in Neemrana and Bhiwadi,” said Sharma

A survey has been done for these projects and international consultants have given a favourable opinion.

“The zones will be a joint ventures with a special purpose vehicle in which the state government will have 51 percent share,” said Sharma.