Parliamentary panel to study automobile industry slump, seek revival steps

Committee overseeing work of the Ministry of Heavy Industries and Enterprises to explore a new format.

The parliamentary panel on industry has selected the downturn in the automobile industry as the only subject it will probe for 2019-20, asking the government about the measures it is taking for revival.

Conventionally, department-related parliamentary standing committees select a bouquet of subjects to study, speak with stakeholders and write their reports and recommendations that are then tabled in Parliament.

However, the committee which oversees the work of the Ministry of Heavy Industries and Enterprises has decided to explore a new format to select one subject at a time. It might select other subjects subsequently.

For its first few meetings, the committee has selected the subject "Downturn in Automobile Sector & the Measures for its Revival" for “examination”.

For its first meeting on this subject, the committee has asked Secretary of Department of Heavy Industries to appear before it to reply to questions of the committee members. Telangana Rashtra Samithi Rajya Sabha member K Keshav Rao heads the committee.

The automobile sector has recently seen a slowdown. Several manufacturers have cut down production. According to one estimate, the industry directly employs 8 million people, and another 29 million indirectly. At a turnover of Rs 8.2 trillion, the automobile industry is 49 per cent of the manufacturing sector.