Govt intervention needed to save auto component sector jobs: ACMA president

Leading industry body head says the govt should intervene with measures like cutting the GST rate to 18% across the entire auto and auto component sector

The $57-billion auto component sector, which employs around 5 million people, is facing the pressure of the auto industry slowdown. Last week, the Auto Component Manufacturers Association of India (ACMA) said that around 1 million jobs would be at stake if the trend continued. 

Ram Venkataramani, president, ACMA, told T E Narasimhan and Gireesh Babu that the government's initiatives could save these jobs. Edited Excerpts:  

Do you feel that the current crisis might extend to the shutting down of auto component factories? 

The auto component industry has to keep in tandem with the vehicle industry. When original equipment manufacturers (OEMs)