Rise above differences within while seeking deregulation: DPIIT Secretary cautions industry

Often the suggestions that are critical for the overall growth of the sector are not received as there are differences within the industry, Bhatia said at CII’s India Edge event.

DPIIT Secretary Amardeep Singh Bhatia said the DPIIT is working under a clear mandate to reduce compliance burden and that several bodies, including two high-level committees, are going into the details of deregulations required, but the industry needs to look at the entire sectoral growth rather than pursuing self-interest while providing inputs, he said. (Source: File)

Urging the industry to keep national interest in mind while seeking deregulation, Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade of India (DPIIT) Secretary Amardeep Singh Bhatia said on Wednesday that the government is working to boost the ease of doing business in the country, but some regulations are required, keeping orderly growth and public safety in mind.

Bhatia said the DPIIT is working under a clear mandate to reduce compliance burden and that several bodies, including two high-level committees, are going into the details of deregulations required, but the industry needs to look at the entire sectoral growth rather than pursuing self-interest while providing inputs, he said.

“I would also like to add a cautionary note that let us see realistically… while industry wants certain regulations to go away, there is also the larger public purpose which has to be kept in mind, like safety and orderly development. That purpose should not be lost sight of,” Bhatia cautioned.

Often the suggestions that are critical for the overall growth of the sector are not received as there are differences within the industry, Bhatia said at CII’s India Edge event.

“These (inputs) get hidden because there are various groupings, which have their different interests. So, keeping the larger national interest in mind… if we can rise above these differences and look at how do we get the entire sector to grow… keeping in mind the entire value chain world… the large and the smaller enterprises… the upstream and the downstream players… a trader and the manufacturers,” he said.

Suggesting the rollback of several quality control orders (QCOs), a Niti Aayog report had pointed out that due to challenges faced by global suppliers in obtaining certifications, the implementation of QCOs had led to “greater concentration among domestic suppliers in some sectors, giving them the ability to raise prices above global levels”.

“For instance, polyester fibre, yarn and some steel products command 15-30 per cent price premiums over global benchmarks, affecting the cost competitiveness of downstream industries in the international market. This is one of the main reasons for India’s declining share in global apparel exports despite the withdrawal of anti-dumping duties on select products,” the report said.

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Niti Aayog added that QCOs have affected the competitiveness of export-intensive and employment-oriented sectors such as footwear and electronics. These sectors employ around 4.5 million people, and depend on imported intermediate materials that determine end-product performance and design flexibility.

To be sure, the Centre has rolled back QCOs on over 20 products that constitute key inputs in these sectors.

Ravi Dutta Mishra

Ravi Dutta Mishra is a Principal Correspondent with The Indian Express, covering policy issues related to trade, commerce, and banking. He has over five years of experience and has previously worked with Mint, CNBC-TV18, and other news outlets. ... Read More