Govt may allow phased PLI for white goods industry: DPIIT secy

The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) will now ensure that all the investments coming up under the production-linked incentive (PLI) for white goods get approvals from the Central and State government authorities on a fast track basis so that targets are set under the PLI are achieved timely, disclosed Anurag Jain.

New Delhi: The government is willing to look at the phased manufacturing (PMP) plan for the AC industry to check the imports and increase local value addition and employment, disclosed Anurag Jain, secretary, Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT). He was speaking at the high-level DPIIT-FICCI investor round-table on production linked incentive (PLI) for white goods here on Friday.

He was responding to the suggestions made by some of the CEOs present in the round-table to come out with the PMP for the AC industry. Jain also mentioned that DPIIT will now ensure that all the investments coming up under the production-linked incentive (PLI) for white goods get approvals from the Central and State government authorities on a fast track basis so that targets are set under the PLI are achieved timely.

He said that they were in the process of fast-tracking the national single-window clearance system aimed at ease of doing business where all applications can be filed and tracked online. He also said that the government is fast-tracking FDI applications and added that the PLI scheme has been designed to benefit those sectors where Indians can take lead and also to benefit sunrise sectors and make them ready for global competition.

Anil Agrawal, Additional Secretary, DPIIT, appreciating the efforts of the FICCI Electronics and White Goods Committee, said that the industry response to PLI for white goods has been overwhelming. The government took precautions while drafting the scheme so that there are no impediments to the implementation of the scheme going forward, he said.

Sharing the journey of PLI for white goods, Agrawal said that in almost one year, DPIIT has ensured that the scheme was designed and implemented based on the industry feedback and consensus across the value chain.

In the DPIIT-FICCI investor round-table over 150 CEOs/CXOs of the white goods industry participated showcasing the confidence of the investors in PLI. Many of these investors in the component value chain are new ventures from the small and medium sector, who would now supply to the OEMs and integrate with the global value chains, noted Anil Agrawal.

He further elaborated that the impact of the scheme has been tremendous as manufacturing units in over 50 locations across the country are coming up or will benefit from the PLI scheme of white goods in the component chain of AC and LED. Agrawal said that these units were located in States like Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Goa, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Haryana Rajasthan and West Bengal

Manish Sharma, Chair- Electronics and White Goods Manufacturing Committee, FICCI, said, "Our achievements as an industry with the committed investment exceeding Rs 4,500 crore from more than 40 organisations across Indian manufacturers, SMEs and MNCs for varied components of ACs and LEDs, including the industry of aluminium and copper, is commendable.

He further said the collective wisdom of the government and the industry coming together for a common cause has boosted the confidence of both the government and investors. He appreciated the sectoral associations for their contribution, which was possible due to the guidance of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry under the Atmanirbhar vision of the Prime Minister. He further mentioned that the PLI brings with it the commitment with a positive mindset ushering into the new era of backward integration with scale allowing to build competitiveness for export.