KOCHI: Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Ministry of Commerce & Industry Nirmala Sitharaman said that the government would come out with the national rubber policy soon. However, the minister refused to give a time-frame for announcing the policy.
Sitharaman said that her meetings with rubber growers representatives, tyre manufacturers, Parliament members from the rubber-growing regions, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and Finance Minister K M Mani gave her valuable inputs. In June, the Union Government constituted an expert committee headed by Additional Secretary (Plantations), Dept of Commerce, to formulate the national rubber policy.
“Figures show that import of natural rubber were more than the deficit in domestic demand and supply,” the minister said. She, however, said the additional imports may not be from the tyre industry.
NSEL Scam
Sitharaman said the government was taking all efforts to recover the money lost to investors in the `5500-crore NSEL scam. On LNG Petronet project, revival of FACT and approval of a second Special Economic Zone here, she said the state govt should shoulder the burden equally so that these Kerala projects and undertakings get the Central assistance.
‘Innovation Vital’
Sitharaman said without innovation, the present generation of businesses would not grow. She was speaking after inaugurating a seminar on ‘Importance of International Trade in the Economic Growth of India’ at Mattanchery here on Saturday. The seminar was organised by the Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, in association with Hindusthan Samachar.