Govt to create inventory of chemicals in India

As a part of its plan to give a strategic boost to Make in India initiative, the centre government is planning to proactively facilitate the manufacturing of chemicals, which are critical inputs for the manufacturing sector, in the country. In the first step, the government plans to create a national inventory of chemicals, which will provide information about the types and amount of chemicals consumed in the country - through local production or imports.
 
“With the focus of the government being Make in India, the chemical industry becomes crucial for the growth of the entire nation. If the nation has to grow, the chemical industry has to grow. As a start, the government is creating a national inventory of chemicals so that the nation and the world knows the chemicals which it can trade with India,” said Samir Biswas, joint secretary, Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals, Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilizers, at CII’s Chemistry Everywhere 2015 conference in Mumbai.
   
Inventorisation of chemicals will provide a foundation for framing a sound national chemical policy, which is presently under discussion, as it will provide the complete picture of chemicals required for end-user industries and the demand-supply scenario of chemicals in India. It can also be a helpful tool for the government while negotiating bi-lateral or multi-lateral trade agreements with other countries.
 
Citing the example of South Korea, Samir Biswas said, “South Korea has taken the chemicals industry as the main driver for all their industries. They have identified ten core areas and are planning to cater to not just their own, but the whole world’s needs for the next decade. We need a similar kind of thinking in India. We need concrete action plans and not just words.”
 
He added, “Whatever facilitation or support is required by the industry we will provide proactively. The government is there to support and facilitate the chemical industry and we will see that noting comes in the way of its development.”
 
On its part, CII took first step towards the national chemicals inventory by launching ChemStreet and ChemSource, which aim to be a repository of information on chemicals in the country.
 
According to Dr Swaminathan Sivaram, CSIR Bhatnagar Fellow, National Chemical Laboratory, two major issues confront the Indian chemical industry. “First, is the public perception to this industry and the second is the lack of investment in the chemicals industry in India. Unless these issues are addressed, unless the industry finds heavy investments, India as a nation will not be able to grow,” he said.
 
Speaking on the occasion, Sudhir Shenoy, chief executive officer, Dow Chemical International Pvt Ltd, said, “Every single thing for our life and sustenance is provided by the chemical industry. If it does not grow, it will become a disabler for all other industries. Today, only five and a half percent of our exports is chemical. This needs focus. We can develop India into a chemical manufacturing hub for the whole world. Our potential to move forward in that direction is limitless.”
 
Dr Raman Ramachandran, chairman & managing director, BASF India Ltd, and Head - BASF, South Asia, believes that chemistry can solve a lot of problems presently facing the world. “With the population of the world set to expand exponentially, the world will face huge challenges of food, resource crunch, housing, pollution due to increased number of vehicles, climate change etc. India which faces its own set of unique issues because of its population. Thus, we cannot look at the west for solutions to issues they do not face. We have to develop our own solutions to our own problems,” stated Dr Raman Ramachandran.