Prime Minister’s scent trail to bring home desi Versaces

NEW DELHI: Look beyond the Diors, the Versaces and the Chanels, as their desi avatars are soon going to be the talk of the town. Instead of exporting raw materials, the government is planning to set up processing units back home and will provide international-quality products at comparatively cheaper rates.
Several exported products such as castor oil, guar gum come back as perfumes and cosmetics at a cost several thousand times the original product. Country’s share in products manufactured from these two raw materials is minuscule despite the fact that India is world’s biggest producer and exporter of guar gum and castor oil, which are used in various industries globally.

Taking further his ‘Make in India’ initiative, PM Narendra Modi wants to launch a national mission whereby India exports processed products rather than raw materials so that country gains economically and producers are benefitted.

The PM has asked for preparation of a list of forest produce such as castor seeds, guar gum and others exported raw without any value addition, making country lose thousands of crores every year. The matter has also come for discussion in a recent cabinet meeting and all concerned ministries have been asked to send proposals.

“The government is in the process of formulating a national mission to set up processing units of indigenous products in the country for possible economic gains. To begin with, we are in the process of short listing 10 raw materials that are commercially lucrative and has global demand,” said a senior government official.

The PMO has asked the Technology Information, Forecasting and Assessment Council (TIFAC) under the Department of Science and Technology to start joint ministerial efforts for taking the exercise of listing forest and minor forest produce exported without any value addition.

“A detailed plan for castor oil processing and final products has already been sent to the PMO,” the official added. The government is looking forward to provide some seed money for setting up processing units and also seek help of the industry to ensure India gets due economic benefits. “The government wants to start processing of these products at pilot level so to it can be directly expanded at a bigger scale,” the official further said. TIFAC has also roped in a team of scientists to list other forest and minor forest produce that India has supremacy and are economically important globally.