Sibal asks Modi to introduce novel ideas and not ape UPA

He reacted to Modi's speech on need to cut electronic product imports and boost hardware manufacturing

Taking a dig at Narendra Modi, Telecom and IT Minister Kapil Sibal today said the BJP's Prime Ministerial candidate should come up with his original ideas and stop copying those of the UPA government.

"He (Modi) is not aware of national issues. We sometimes expect to hear his original ideas but it has never happened till date. He should stop copying what we have done," he told PTI on the sidelines of an event organised by Dabur.

Sibal, a senior Congress leader, was reacting to Modi's speech at a NASSCOM summit yesterday raising the issue of the need to cut electronic product imports and boost hardware manufacturing.

"The government has already put in place policies to boost manufacturing, setting up electronic clusters and making India self-reliant by manufacturing chips in India. If he were better informed, we could have a more constructive public dialogue," said Sibal.

Modi says that he will bring bullet trains when Gujarat has neither metro nor mono-rail till date, he added.

The government has put in place the first-ever National Policy of Electronics in 2013, part of which was announced in 2012.

In July 2012, the government announced Electronics Manufacturing Clusters (EMCs) scheme under which it aims to set up 200 clusters or special zones which will house the full eco-system required for developing electronic products.

In the same month, the government had announced Modified Special Incentive Package which allows up to Rs 10,000 crore in benefits under the 12th Five Year Plan ending 2017.

The Cabinet earlier this week approved setting up the first two electronic chip plants in the country that will entail a total investment of Rs 63,412 crore.

Semiconductor is the main hardware component that is key to the functioning of devices such as mobiles and computers as well as hi-tech defence equipment.

India imports more than 90 per cent of consumer electronic products and if the trend continues, these imports are projected to grow to USD 300 billion by 2020. These imports stood at USD 7 billion last year.