Govt Sets up Inter-Ministerial Panel for Manufacturing Mission Contours

The government has constituted an inter-ministerial committee to shape the broad contours of the proposed National Manufacturing Mission, announced in the Union Budget in February, a senior official said.

The committee, chaired by NITI Aayog, CEO, B.V.R. Subrahmanyam, is currently conducting a series of stakeholder consultations. Announced on February 1, the mission aims to further strengthen the Make in India initiative.

The mission mandate will be centered around five areas, namely: making it easier and cheaper to do business; building a future-oriented workforce for new-age jobs; creating a robust and dynamic MSME ecosystem; making technology available; and increasing high-quality output. It will cover small, medium, and large industries.

"Stakeholders' consultations are on, including with states and domestic industry. The committee will look at the framework of the mission," the official said.

Manufacturing currently accounts for around 16–17 percent of the nation's GDP. The government plans to significantly increase this proportion through specific interventions.

The National Manufacturing Mission will provide policy assistance, governance and monitoring architecture, to both states and central ministries.

An industry expert said the mission is likely to increase competitiveness, enhance efficiency, promote innovation, bring domestic manufacturing into global value chains, and make India a globally competitive manufacturing destination.