| The industry ministry has sought Rs 956 crore over a period of five years for implementing the national manufacturing initiative. The funds will be used for 10 areas identified as priority action areas by the National Manufacturing Competitiveness Council (NMCC). |
| Minister of State for Industry Ashwani Kumar has approached the finance ministry in this regard. For the same purpose, he has also written to Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia asking to allocate a portion - Rs 150 crore - of the entire amount in the ministry's annual plan for 2006-07. |
| The Planning Commission has indicated its willingness to consider the matter once it receives the formal proposal. The recent Budget had no allocation on this head. |
| Kumar said the implementation of the programme would enhance the competitiveness of the industry and would assure gainful employment to the unemployed. |
| "The whole idea is to create a cumulative expansion for manufacturing. We cannot be hijacked by one agenda. We have to look at a huge variety of areas to boost our overall economy," he added. |
| It is likely that the allocation will be made in the coming month, once the finance ministry and the Planning Commission take a final view on the matter. |
| Kumar has also started a review of the functioning of the National Productivity Council and the National Institute of Design, along with some other bodies under his ministry's purview. |
| The ten priority areas include a national programme on application of lean manufacturing, technical upgradation support to small and medium enterprises (SMEs), entrepreneurial and management support to SMEs, a national campaign for an intellectual property rights regime and promotion of information & communication technology. |
| Each of the programmes will be implemented by the NMCC and the industry ministry in coordination with nodal ministries like the ministry of small scale industry, and the IT and heavy industries departments. |
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