CII seeks to depoliticise study

CII today sought to distance itself from the controversy created by H D Deve Gowda over a report co-authored by it by underlining the academic and utilitarian nature of the report and also the fact that it was a collation of what businesses felt about investment conditions.

The former prime minister and Janata Dal (Secular) leader had used the findings of the CII-World Bank Investment Climate Study to make the point that the regime of former chief minister S M Krishna had been found by the study to be corrupt.

CII has pointed out in a press release that "such studies only aim to identify constraints to operations and growth of business in the country."

The second assessment in 2002-03, the one referred to by Deve Gowda, was undertaken in 39 industrial centers spread across 12 states and pertaining to 23 industrial sectors.

The assessments are done through firm level surveys and 1993 firms engaged in manufacturing were covered for the survey in 2002-03. The assessment aims at identifying investment climate constraints that affect the growth and competitiveness of Indian industry in an international context.

CII and the World Bank have undertaken investment climate assessment in India twice in the past, once in 1999-2000 and the second time in 2002-2003.