Key takeaways of Gadkari address to auto industry

Key takeaways of Gadkari address to auto industry
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari made some significant remarks at a recent
virtual conference on automotive aftermarket organised by the
Confederation of Indian industry (CII). Besides making a major
announcement about the Government’s plan to set up charging kiosks at
all fuel stations across the country, the minister urged the industry to be
quality-centric, go for innovations and reduce its dependence on imports
for auto parts.
The two-day virtual conference on automotive aftermarket with the
theme ‘Seizing Opportunities in New Normal’, on November 23 and 24
had some important takeaways for the industry.
Held on the side-lines of the CII’s go-to event Auto Serve 2020, the
conference focused on the latest trends, innovations, start-ups, skill
development, R&D, equipment and technologies in the automotive
aftermarket sector. It provided a platform to various stakeholders to
learn and adopt the best practices and deliberate on the opportunities to
build a strong growth trajectory for the automotive aftermarket industry.
Addressing the conference online, Union Minister of Road Transport and
Highways & MSME Nitin Gadkari focused on the Government’s plan to
transform India into a global automobile manufacturing hub in the next
five years. He also stated that the Government was inclined towards
growing an ecosystem to accelerate the uptake of electric vehicles in the
country.

• To strengthen EV infrastructure, said Gadkari, the Government is
planning to install at least one charging kiosk at each of the 69,000
fuel stations across the country.
• The Government, he said, was also planning to build an e-highway
on Delhi-Mumbai Expressway. E-highways will induce consumers,
who have the range-anxiety, to switch to EVs.
• The minister also urged the automobile industry to move away from
a cost-centric approach to quality-oriented one to serve the needs
of the customers and the society.
• Gadkari also urged the auto industry to focus on developing and
producing all parts locally instead of relying on imports as it will be
beneficial for all stakeholders in the future.
To strengthen EV infrastructure, said Gadkari, the Government is planning
to install at least one charging kiosk at each of the 69,000 fuel stations
across the country. The numbers may not look huge on paper but it will
definitely give a boost to the EV market in India. The minister also insisted
the automobile industry to come together in curbing vehicular pollution.
Gadkari’s address also highlighted the various measures the Government
had undertaken to promote the sale of electric vehicles. Prominent
among these are reduction in GST to 5 per cent and allowing delinking of
battery cost of two- and three-wheelers from vehicle cost as it accounts
for nearly 30 per cent of the total cost. The Government, he said, was also
planning to build an e-highway on Delhi-Mumbai Expressway. E-highways
will induce consumers, who have the range-anxiety, to switch to EVs.

The minister also urged the automobile industry to move away from a
cost-centric approach to quality-oriented one to serve the needs of the
customers and the society. “I have been telling this to the Indian
manufacturers. Don’t be cost-centric and you should be quality-centric.
Even a poor man in this country is keen to buy a quality EV irrespective of
his economic status. So the industry should improve quality while finding
the ways and means to reduce the cost at the same time,” he said.
There was also a great deal of discussion on the innovations and changes
that the Indian auto market needs. The auto sector should look at
building double-decker buses to cater the needs of Indian market,
suggested the minister.
Gadkari also urged the auto industry to focus on developing and
producing all parts locally instead of relying on imports as it will be
beneficial for all stakeholders in the future. For India to become a global
player in auto manufacturing, the local auto parts industry needs to be
developed, he said. Instead of importing auto parts from different
countries, these parts should be locally sourced. A lot of R&D needs to be
done in the field of alternative and less-polluting fuels like hydrogen,
compressed natural gas (CNG), liquified natural gas (LNG) and electricity.
Ending his address on a positive note, the minister said, “I am fully
confident that the future of this industry is very bright. The only thing is,
you have to be cost-effective, import-substitute, pollution- free and
indigenous.”
Source: https://www.energybite.co.in/blog-post/key-takeaways-ofgadkari-address-to-auto-industry/
Contact us
Mobile: +91 9643860696
Email us: info@energybite.co.in