IPCA demands better operating environment

Bangalore, Sep 1 (UNI) The Indian Printed Circuit Association today urged the Centre and state governments to provide a better operating environment to the industry as it had a huge potential for employment and sustaining the economic growth.

Speaking on the sidelinles of a function here, IPCA Prsident M Anil Kumar said while the market for the industry in the country was presently USD 16 Billion, indigenous production was only a fraction of this figure.

''The industry faces many constraints like government restrictions and infrastrucrual bottlenecks. It takes a long time for the governments to clear establishment of PCB based industry and this has forced world majors to alter their plans and set up shops in Vietnam, Korea or China, despite their desire to start operations in India,'' he said.

The main problem the new players or world majors in PCB industry coming to india faced was environmental clearance that took a long time.

''Maharashtra is a model state in doing this quickly. But other major states like Karnataka and Tamil Nadu take too long to give eco clearance. Let the officials stick to the rules. But unfortunately they are not really worried about any ecological problem but "other things,'' he added.

Mr Kumar said India was a major destination for making PCB and semiconductor designs as it had the best talent to do it in the world. Why can't the country be a major producer of such electronic components, he asked.

He said 95 per cent of the designing work took place in Bangalore city.

''Nokia, despite having its production facility in India, imports 99 per cent of the components and only the outer box is made in India. It is time governments ensure provision of a complete spectrum to manufacture electronic components in the country,'' he said.

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