Action Agenda for the Manufacturing Sector

Manufacturing is the engine for India’s economic growth and plays a pivotal role in the country’s sustainable and equitable growth. It has the potential to generate employment for a skilled, semiskilled as well as a non-skilled workforce and capitalize on the demographic dividend that the country enjoys.

While the sector has played a fundamental role in opening up the Indian economy to foreign investment and investors, created opportunities for domestic manufacturers to grow and compete in foreign markets and placed India among attractive destinations for investments, Indian manufacturing has a long way to go before it achieves the National Manufacturing Policy (NMP) set target of contributing 25 per cent to the GDP, and realizes it’s true potential.

Given the strong potential and the far reaching impact of manufacturing in employment generation, investments and infrastructure development, both the Government and the industry acknowledge

its strategic importance and see a central role for manufacturing-led industrial development of the economy. However, the current economic environment presents various challenges. Macro

economic issues such as moderation in GDP growth, rising inflation, high interest rates and the widening current account deficit, coupled with micro-economic issues such as a complex business regulatory framework, sluggish implementation process of industrial reforms, high compliance costs, inadequate infrastructure, rigid labour norms, time consuming clearances and approval processes, land acquisition issues, rising instances of industrial disputes and non-availability of requisite workforce have impacted the entire industry. This environment has not only hampered manufacturing growth, but also the overall growth of the Indian economy.

Therefore, the need of the hour is a robust decision making and policy implementation system to revive and re-ignite growth in manufacturing. The Government has already initiated the process of implementing the NMP and notified 12 National Investments and Manufacturing Zones (NIMZs) across the country. These zones will help overcome various challenges and issues faced by

manufacturing today and facilitate high manufacturing growth, but urgent need would be to expedite setting up these notified NIMZs. Complementing these measures is the 12th Five Year Plan focus on

promoting manufacturing by developing capabilities across sectors, especially through technology, innovation and R&D in core sectors, and the setting up of the Cabinet Committee on Investment (CCI) to fast track clearance for large projects.

However, bringing convergence on important policies such as the Land Acquisition and Rehabilitation Bill, the MMDR Act, and the implementation of GST as well as the alignment of national and state manufacturing priorities will be essential for manufacturing to achieve its true potential.

CII has submitted a list of large scale manufacturing projects to the Government for consideration by the CCI with a recommendation that projects below Rs 1000 crore be reviewed as well to spur the investment cycle in the country.

CII is also working with the Government in easing business regulations in the country and is constituting a ‘Task Force on Ease of Doing Business’ that would make recommendations to simplify doing business in India. CII will work closely with the Government and various stakeholders to make manufacturing in India more attractive.

Undoubtedly, a strong manufacturing sector and its healthy growth is crucial for ensuring high GDP growth, creating additional employment opportunities, reducing inequalities and increasing investments and global competitiveness. CII hopes continuous time-bound efforts and ongoing reforms will help put manufacturing back on a high growth trajectory.

Achieve CyberSecurity Together

Calling Out to all those interested in cyber security and wish to convey their thoughts

CII is organising a conference on  ‘ACT – Achieve CyberSecurity Together’ on 13 July 2013 at Hotel Hilton, Chennai, and coinciding with this, we are reaching out to those who might be interested to contribute articles on Cyber Security

All articles will be compiled and circulated to all the delegates, senior officials and participants from the Cyber Security sector.

Your article should imbibe any one of the below listed topics:

• Establishing Reliable Security in Cloud Networks
• Establishing an effective national cyber security infrastructure – especially what the Govt intends to Private sector participation
• Cyber and Network security for Banking
• Cyber and Network security for MSMEs
• New trends in Cyber Forensics
• Future trends in Data Management
• Containing the Deadliest attacks

Submission: We would like you to maintain the limit of 500 – 600 words and send a brief profile of the author with photograph. The paper needs to be forwarded to the undersigned on or before 30st June 2013 by email.

The conference will analyse the identified Problem: “Internet” = a hostile network like the wild-west WITHOUT a sheriff! 

The objective of the “Achieve CyberSecurity Together (ACT)” – with a theme “Face Cyber Threats & Challenges” is to discuss greatest emerging cyber treats across the nation. The challenges, technological gaps and necessary research directions related to cyber security, as well as the best suited instruments to implement the tasks.

Please contact us directly if you have any questions on 044 – 42444555  / dhwani.shukla@cii.in

Please note: plagiarism & a paper without proper references & sources will not be accepted.

Nurturing the Positive Powers of India

Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, fondly known as the ‘People’s President’, shared his thoughts on the ‘power of a strong society and how best it can be leveraged in today’s environment’. He was addressing a jam-packed audience of students at the Indira Institute of Commerce and Science, at an event organised by CII’s India@75.

A scientist, an orator, an author, a poet and above all a visionary, Dr Kalam had envisioned a developed India by 2020 built by and for the youth of this nation. During his speech, Dr Kalam said that “the ignited mind of the youth is the most powerful resource on the earth, under the earth and above the earth. If you have an aim in life, continuously acquire the knowledge, work hard with confidence to win and have the courage to defeat problems and succeed with a righteous heart; you will definitely succeed in all your missions”. He highlighted Agriculture and Food processing, Education and Healthcare, Information and Communications Technology, Infrastructure, Reliable and Quality Power, and Self Reliance on Critical Technologies as important pillars in order to achieve an inclusive, sustainable and developed India by 2020 – an ideology and mission that is in complete consonance with the work being carried out by CII, India@75 and Young Indians.

He suggested to the students, gathered from different colleges across the city, to select one important task pertaining to any of the ten pillars enshrined in his Vision Document 2020, as per their interest and core competence. Dr Kalam mentioned that by doing so the students could become significant partners in national development.

There was a surprise in store for Dr Kalam when a student asked him whether Mr Anna Hazare losing mass support would impact the anti-corruption movement in the country. While replying, Dr Kalam said that corruption is a deep-rooted sociological phenomena which needs to be eradicated, beginning from our homes. “We should have the courage to remove corruption beginning from our homes itself.”

While answering questions on the role of Information Technology, Dr Kalam reiterated that IT has to work in tandem with other advanced technologies in order to find alternatives for problems in the agricultural sector. He also said that in the years to come, technology will have a crucial role in addressing the growing food grain demand in the country.

“Each one of you should follow the pillars in making India a nation where there is no crime against women and children, no rural-urban divide and equal opportunities in terms of education and health care. I do hope India@75 provides a bridge to the youth to contribute”, said Dr Kalam while drawing parallels between CII, India@75 and India Mission 2020 which according to Dr Kalam is also meant to influence the youth to work hard in the run up to the year 2020, to transform India.

Learn More about India@75

Encourage Values & Ethics in Individuals, Not Just Performance

This is the First Step towards Fighting Bribery in Business Transactions 

Certain measure to tackle the problem is by fixing standards in different industries. But it is imperative to address the fundamental question that when setting guidelines, it must be the society as a whole that benefits and not just a few persons, companies or representatives.

Christine Uriarte, General Counsel of Anti-Corruption Division at OECD applauded CII for taking leadership in this initiative and the Government effort in introducing the new international standards which will soon be enacted in the parliament to be passed as bill. This includes the Prevention of Bribery of Foreign Public Officials Bill, the Whistleblower Protection Bill, and the new Companies Bill. OECD has provided good practices guidance to several countries like Korea, Canada, South Africa for the last 14 years, effectively addressing lessons for public bribes. She said, she is particularly happy that large organizations have come forward to share their practices.

Mr Arun Maira, Member, Planning Commission defined bribery as transaction, paying to get something that one is not legally entitled to. He said that, it is the pressure to perform that makes us bend the systems. He discussed on the Corruption of concept of values. Value today is considered money and so the value of a company is measured by wealth. We create role models who have value in terms of money and are in a system where ends expressed in value terms justify the means. He emphasized the importance of focusing on the Principles of Governance in society that are needed in a democratic set up.

Mr Kiran Karnik, Former President, National Association of Software and Service Companies (NASSCOM) said, Competition is the controller and dispenser of corruption. Media activism and civil society are most critical components in fighting bribery in business transactions and that this is a developmental phase that we are passing through.

He mentioned about coercive and cohesive corruption, the former being part of the system and the latter where individuals and companies benefit. A way out he said is transparency, where Right to Information Act has been a major drive. He gave the example of land reforms in Karnataka that has led to transparency, efficiency and accountability.

The seminar saw participation from several Indian corporates, apart from Central Vigilance Commission, Central Bureau of Investigation as well as international trade and investment organizations. The seminar is a well-timed initiative at a time when United Nations Convention against Corruption and OECD Anti Bribery Convention have stepped up their efforts in the fight against bribery in business transactions. Several G20 countries including India have called for a strengthened partnership between the public and private sector for jointly developing and implementing initiatives to fight corruption.

Confederation on Indian Industry (CII) in partnership with Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) organized the first of its kind seminar in India on ‘Fighting bribery in Business Transactions’ today. The discussion aimed at helping Indian companies effectively overcome corruption risks that they may face in foreign markets. The seminar highlighted the Indian government’s efforts to bring Indian laws in compliance with international anti-corruption obligations in this area. 23rd May 2013