Govt suggests auto industry to widen vehicle portfolio

Government today suggested the auto industry to widen its portfolio into various other specialised sectors such as in mining and infrastructure.
Joint Secretary in Road Transport, Highways and Shipping Ministry Abhay Damle suggested the industry to look into the special purpose vehicles besides the traditional passenger and commercial vehicles.
"If you look at special purpose vehicles, whether its mining equipments or infrastructure machinery, we do lack. The portfolio of the auto industry is narrow. Probably, we feel that it needs to be more widened," Damle said.
He said, currently, the industry is focusing on very few categories of vehicles.
Future of the industry is in having more vehicle on the diverse use, he said, while addressing SIAM's annual convention here.

"The portfolio of the auto industry is narrow. Probably, we feel that it needs to be more widened," he said.

Besides, he hailed the industry for accepting the challenge to implement BS-VI emission norms from April 2020.
Damle further added that one of the biggest challenges for the industry is fuel efficiency norms.
"This is one area where everybody is concerned... Another one area is scrapping policy," he added.