CHEMICAL INDUSTRY SHOULD TAKE EFFECTIVE
STEPS FOR POLLUTION CONTROL - VICE PRESIDENT
ACTION ON TASK – FORCE REPORT
ON CHEMICAL INDUSTRY SOON –SHRI
DHINDSA
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE
ON CHEMICAL INDUSTRY INAUGURATED
Shri Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, Vice President
of India has urged the chemical industry to take urgent effective
steps for pollution control as chemical industry is causing increased
pollution at many places. Inaugurating the International Conference
being held on the occasion of INDIA – CHEM 2002 here today he
said that while the choice of technology of chemical industry
has to be internationally competitive, the industry should explore
the areas where employment oriented approach can be adopted without
sacrificing the competitive edge.
Shri Shekhawat called upon the policy makers
to work for better awareness and extension programme to disseminate
right and appropriate practices to the farmers. He also cautioned
that the country needs to be totally self-sufficient in the production
of drugs and medicines so as to ensure their easy availability
at affordable prices to the common man.
Speaking on the occasion Shri S.S. Dhindsa, Minister
for Chemical and Fertilizers said that the recommendations of
the Task – force set up by the Government on the chemical industry,
which submitted its report in March, are being looked into and
action on the report would be initiated very soon. The Task force
in its report have made significant recommendations on vital issues
concerning the chemical sector including infrastructure, setting
up of chemical parks, investment in R&D modernization, economies
of scale for increased global competitiveness, Intellectual Properties
Rights, production of value added products and joint ventures
and collaborations with Global Chemical Companies. The Minister
said that Government would initiate a number of policy initiatives
in view of the momentous changes taking place in the Global Chemical
Industry to transform the Indian Chemical Industry into a vibrant
and Modern Industry.
Shri Dhindsa said that the Conference has special
relevance to the Indian small and medium chemical industry who
will be able to update their knowledge about latest technological
and commercial development. He said that India’s immense potential
in the knowledge based industry and the achievements in the IT
sector can be utilised to support the research work in pharmaceutical
and specialty chemicals
The Pharmaceutical industry in India is now acknowledged
as knowledge based industry and is emerging as a major centre
for sourcing bulk drugs, packaging materials, pharmaceutical manufacturing
machinaries and technical services. Accounting for 8 per cent
of world’s production by volume and ranking 4th worldwide,
the industry has the potential to grow from the current $ 4.5
billion to $20-25 billion by 2010.
The Indian Chemical industry is ranked 12th
in the production of chemicals worldwide with a market share of
1.5 per cent, contributing to 11 per cent of the total exports
from India. The Industry has been maintaining an annual growth
rate of 12 per cent per annum, twice the rate of growth of India’s
GDP. Specialty chemicals, covering a wide range of products from
catalysts to aroma chemicals, has been identified as a thrust
area. The Indian market for specialty chemicals is currently estimated
at $ 1.2 billion, which constitutes 2.5 per cent of the Global
Specialty Chemicals market. This sector has immense potential
of doubling India’s share in global production of specialty chemicals
by the year 2005.
Shri Tapan Sikdar, MOS (Chemicals and Fertilizers)
underlined the need to focus on areas like supply-chain Management,
E-Commerce and product customization. In his key-note address
Dr. H. Noerenberg, President, Bayer Polymers emphasized on the
power of innovation as the pillar of the chemical industry. Shri
Ganguly, Chairman, ICICI in his vision statement noted that chemical
industry was a highly knowledge intensive industry and cautioned
that it should either renew, modernize or perish.
The four day International Conference will have
eighteen sessions with 95 eminent speakers including 25 speakers
from abroad. Issues like increasing foreign direct investment
into India, strengthening policies on Intellectual Properties
Rights, e-commerce, R&D, and making India an attractive destination
for overseas pharma companies, which are exploring options of
entering into alliances with Indian pharma companies, will come
up during the Conference.
