Key Points

Karnataka Congress MLA Priyank Kharge has sharply criticized the 'Make in India' initiative on its 11th anniversary. He pointed to a significant drop in the manufacturing sector's contribution to India's GDP. Kharge also blamed demonetisation for harming small businesses and highlighted record unemployment. In contrast, Union Minister Piyush Goyal defended the program, calling it a transformative success for Indian manufacturing.

Key Points: Priyank Kharge Slams Make in India as Manufacturing GDP Falls

  • Manufacturing sector's GDP share fell from 17.3% to 13% over 11 years
  • Kharge alleges weak export performance and declining investor confidence
  • He links demonetisation to negative impacts on SME and MSME sectors
  • Union Minister Piyush Goyal defends the initiative as transformative for India
3 min read

Served few, failed many: Priyank Kharge criticises 'Make in India', alleges weak performance in manufacturing, export

Congress MLA Priyank Kharge criticizes Make in India's 11-year record, citing falling manufacturing GDP share, weak exports, and high unemployment.

"Served a few, failed many. Manufacturing share in GDP fell from 17.3 per cent to 13 per cent. - Priyank Kharge"

Chittapur, September 26

As the Centre's 'Make in India' campaign completed 11 years on September 24, Karnataka Congress MLA Priyank Kharge on Friday alleged "weak performance" in the manufacture and export of the country goods.

Kharge flagged a fall in the manufacturing sector's share in the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and said that the initiative has "failed many".

Sharing an X post, he wrote, "As Make in India completes 11 years. Served a few, failed many. Manufacturing share in GDP fell from 17.3 per cent to 13 per cent. Weak export performance. Declining investor confidence in the manufacturing sector."

Further, he alleged that the demonetisation of the old Rs 500 and Rs 1000 currency notes affected the MSMEs and flagged unemployment in the country.

"100 million jobs promised, unemployment is at a record high. Demonetisation killed SME/MSMEs. Complex rollout of GST. FDI crashed 96.5 per cent, a historic low. No red carpet, more red tape," the X post read.

According to a press release by the Minister of Commerce and Industry, the 'Make in India' initiative was launched on September 25, 2014, to facilitate investment, foster innovation, build best-in-class infrastructure, and make India a hub for manufacturing, design, and innovation.

Now, the 'Make in India 2.0' phase encompasses 27 sectors.

While the Opposition has criticised the program, Union Minister Piyush Goyal reflected on the program's transformative impact on India's manufacturing landscape, adding that the vision has transformed India into a global manufacturing powerhouse.

Goyal stated that this vision has "transformed India into a global manufacturing powerhouse."

"Today, I am proud to say that this vision has transformed India into a global manufacturing powerhouse. In these years, record FDI inflows, vast improvements in ease of doing business, our rise as the second-largest mobile manufacturer globally, soaring exports, and expanding defence production, all showcase how far we have come," Goyal added in his X post.

A cornerstone of this industrial revival has been the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme, which Goyal credited for generating massive investments and job creation across multiple sectors.

He also highlighted India's thriving startup ecosystem, driven by the energy of young and women entrepreneurs, which has positioned the country as the world's third-largest innovation hub.

"The journey has been made possible because of the collective effort of our industry, MSMEs, startups, entrepreneurs, and every citizen who carries the spirit of Swadeshi in their heart," Goyal stated, underscoring the grassroots strength behind the movement.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

S
Sarah B
As someone working in manufacturing sector, I've seen both sides. While there are success stories in mobile manufacturing, the MSME sector is still struggling with compliance burdens. GST implementation could have been smoother.
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Arjun K
Let's be balanced - we've become 2nd largest mobile manufacturer and defence production is growing. PLI scheme is showing results. But yes, more focus needed on small industries. Demonetisation did hit MSMEs hard. 🤔
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Priya S
The startup ecosystem is definitely booming! I work in a tech startup and we've seen incredible growth. But manufacturing jobs for regular people need more attention. Can't just rely on services sector alone.
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Michael C
Interesting to see both perspectives. The FDI crash of 96.5% mentioned by Kharge seems extreme - would like to see more data on this. The mobile manufacturing success is undeniable though.
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Neha E
My brother lost his small manufacturing unit after demonetisation. Still struggling to recover. Make in India sounds good but ground reality for small businesses is different. Need more support for local entrepreneurs. 😔
K
Karthik V
Both sides have valid points. We've made progress in certain sectors but overall manufacturing growth hasn't met expectations. Maybe Make

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