Centre may set up foundry development council

The Centre is soon expected to issue a notification setting up a foundry development council to promote the Indian $20 billion foundry and formulate new policies.

"We are expecting the Centre to issue a notification for the foundry development council in the next one month's time," said Vikas Garg, president of the Institute of Indian Foundrymen, an apex body of the foundry sector comprising 5,000 companies that are mostly micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

He said an assurance to this effect was given by Amitabh Kant, the secretary to the department of the industrial policy and promotion (DIPP).

The new council will focus on resolving key issues being faced by the foundry sector. "We are facing sand reclamation problems. There is enormous shortage of silica sand due to the mining issue," said Garg on the sidelines of an expo organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII). "This needs to be addressed," he said.