Design in India or lose sops: Min
image for illustrative purpose
New Delhi: Union Electronics and IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Monday warned that companies failing to invest in product design and quality standards may lose government incentives under the Electronics Components Manufacturing Scheme (ECMS).
Addressing industry players, the minister said disbursements could be halted even for approved projects if firms do not meet key requirements. “We are willing to stop further disbursements or approvals if the industry does not come up with commensurate efforts,” he said.
The government has approved 29 applications under the latest tranche of ECMS, involving investments of Rs 7,104 crore. Total approved investments have now crossed the scheme’s target, reaching Rs 61,671 crore against Rs 59,350 crore. Vaishnaw stressed that real value addition lies in designing products in India, rather than focusing only on assembly or basic manufacturing. He urged companies to build capabilities across conceptual, engineering and manufacturing design. He also mandated adherence to Six Sigma standards, calling them essential for ensuring product reliability and near-zero defects. “Without it, products will not be complete,” he said. The minister expressed dissatisfaction over the slow pace of progress and warned that firms not aligning with the government’s integrated approach would be “weeded out”.
