Govt to adopt digital manufacturing processes: Mahendra Nath Pandey

India will adopt digital manufacturing processes and will promote automation and innovation in the industry, said Union Minister for Heavy Industries (MHI) Mahendra Nath Pandey during the inaugural ceremony of the ‘Conference on Industry 4.0: Challenges Ahead and Way Forward’, at Kevadia in Gujarat on Friday.

While highlighting that India was not included in the group of 50 countries in the Global Innovation Index in 2014, he said it is ranked 40th in the world today. "India has overtaken the US to reach the second position in the Global Manufacturing Risk Index,” Pandey said.

The conference was organised by the MHI with an aim to sensitise industrial sectors in the country to adopt digital manufacturing processes and to promote automation and innovation in the industry. It deliberated upon the implementation of new-age technologies — additive manufacturing, data analytics, advanced robotics, and the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) in manufacturing.

"National Conference on Industry 4.0 will bring in more convergence between industry, educational institutions, youth, entrepreneurs, and policymakers,” he said.  

On the occasion, 175 electric vehicles for Gujarat and Karnataka were flagged off under the FAME Scheme.

‘Model Smart Factory and Assessment Tools’ was also inaugurated on the occasion.

During the conference, Central Manufacturing Technology Institute (CMTI), Indian Institute of Science Bangalore, Indian Institutes of Technology Madras, Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited, and Centre for Industry 4.0 (C4i4) presented the steps taken by them toward Industry 4.0.

While talking about the initiatives undertaken by the government in promoting technology development in the area of Global Capital Goods he said, “Under the Capital Goods Scheme, excellent centers have been set up by the Ministry in which Common Engineering Facilitation Centres, Technological Vibrant Ecosystem have been established, aiding in training the manpower of the country for Industry 4.0.”

A message from PM Narendra Modi was also read out at the conference. “May the deliberations at the conference help in devising a strategic roadmap for Indian industry to leverage technology to resolve challenges of the future,” read the PM’s Message.