Has the production of heavy engineering equipment surpassed Rs 5.69 lakh crore in 2024-25?
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Production of heavy engineering equipment exceeded Rs 5.69 lakh crore.
- Heavy electrical equipment production rose significantly.
- Earthmoving and mining machinery production saw impressive growth.
- No current disinvestment proposal for BHEL.
- India's industrial growth rate was impacted by festive seasons.
New Delhi, Dec 9 (NationPress) The output of heavy engineering equipment and several subsectors within the capital goods industry has surged from Rs 2,66,672 crore in 2020-21 to an impressive Rs 5,69,900 crore in 2024-25, as reported to Parliament on Tuesday.
The production of heavy electrical equipment reached Rs 3,64,706 crore in 2024-25, a significant increase from Rs 167,706 crore in 2020-21, according to Minister of State for Heavy Industries Bhupathiraju Srinivasa Varma, during a Lok Sabha session.
Furthermore, the production of earthmoving and mining machinery hit Rs 80,750 crore in 2024-25, escalating from Rs 29,021 crore in 2020-21. In addition, printing machinery saw production rise to Rs 29,716 crore in 2024-25, compared to Rs 10,058 crore in the previous fiscal year.
The minister also noted that currently, there are no plans being considered by the Ministry of Heavy Industries regarding the disinvestment of BHEL.
However, during a Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) meeting on October 27, 2016, 'in-principle' approval was granted for various actions concerning Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs) under the Ministry of Heavy Industries (MHI).
This included the disinvestment of Bridge & Roof Co. India Ltd. (B&R); units of Cement Corporation of India Ltd. (CCI) where legally permissible; and disinvestment through the merger of Engineering Projects (India) Ltd. (EPIL) with similar CPSEs. Expressions of Interest (EoI) were also sought for B&R and EPIL.
“However, no bids were submitted, and the disinvestment process for CCI units could not commence as they were deemed unfit for strategic sale,” Varma stated.
On another note, India's industrial production growth rate was recorded at 0.4 percent in October this year, attributed to fewer working days due to several festivals, including Dussehra, Dipawali, and Chhath, as per a recent statement from the Ministry of Statistics.
The country's industrial growth, as indicated by the Index of Industrial Production (IIP), had risen to 4 percent in both September and August, following a four-month peak of 3.5 percent in July, which itself had improved from 1.5 percent in June.
The manufacturing sector displayed a positive growth rate of 1.8 percent in October compared to the same month last year. Notably, 9 out of 23 industry groups within the manufacturing sector reported positive growth during this month.