Central scheme to re-energise capital goods sector

Chennai, Jan 28 (UNI) With the thrust being on manufacture of capital goods equipment in the 11th plan, the Centre has launched a scheme for re-energising the capital goods sector in the country, Union Heavy Industries Secretary Dr Ramesh Chandra Panda said today.

In a brief chat with mediapersons after delivering a special address on Corporate Governance at the SRM University at its campus in suburban Kattankulathur here, he said the government has allotted Rs 890 crore for the scheme under which facilitation centres will be set up for every core unit of the sector, like textiles,leather and automobile equipment machineries, to promote R and D and for technology and skill upgradation.

Though the programme was in the initial stages, he said the facilitation centre for Textiles could come up at Karur and for Hosiery in North India. ''But nothing has been finalised yet'', he added.

He said while the core units were expanding, the Centre has decided to give more thrust to the capital goods sector, which has been importing 50 per cent of its equipment machinery requirement as the industry was not in a position to manufacture them.

The reenergising scheme was to help the capital goods sector to manufacture equipments in India and to reduce the quantum of imports.

Dr Panda said SRM would also be forging a tie-up with the Pune-based Automobile Research Association of India to produce quality engineering professionals for the automotive sector, which was facing a huge demand of quality professionals.

UNI GV VV AK ND1720