In a bid to try and get to the root cause of the delays that were stalling the implementation of projects in the country, the Project Monitoring Group (PMG) under its Chairman Anil Swarup has initiated a process to digitise the whole procedure through which clearances happen. "Our job at the PMG will get reduced as then we will know why the delays are happening and the clogging will not happen.

The Centre and the Maharashtra government have signed the state support agreement (SSA) and shareholders agreement (SA) for the first phase of the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC).

The Ministry of Commerce and Industry has sought withdrawal of 5 per cent duty on export of iron ore pellets, citing that the levy will discourage shipments of value-added products. The Pellet Manufacturers´ Association of India (PMAI) had expressed apprehension over Rs 35,000 crore of investments becoming non-performing assets due to the export duty because domestic demand is too low and most producers are operating at less than 50 per cent capacity.

Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma said that the Cabinet will soon take a view on liberalising foreign direct investment (FDI) policy in railways sector. The department of industrial policy and promotion (DIPP) has proposed to allow 100 per cent FDI in high-speed train systems, suburban corridors, high-speed tracks and freight lines connecting ports and mines. However, existing passenger and freight network operations will not be opened to foreign investors.

Civil aviation industry experts and policymakers from across the world will meet again at the fourth edition of the India Aviation Conference on 13 March in Hyderabad during the India Aviation 2014 Show. It is a biennial event which is jointly organised by Ministry of Civil Aviation, Government of India and Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) at Begumpet Airport to highlight the growing opportunities in Indian civil aviation sector and to provide a platform for deliber

Industry body in India, Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (Assocham) has expected a huge potential for ship repairing and shipbuilding business in the country. According to Assocham, more than 20-year-old ships require periodic and extensive repair and maintenance and, in India, of the total 1,122 vessels in the fleet, over 41 per cent are over 20 years old and need regular attention.

In addition to seven Central government Special Economic Zones (SEZs) and 12 State/Private Sector SEZs set up prior to the enactment of SEZ Act, 2005, formal approval has been accorded to 574 proposals out of which 391 SEZs presently stand notified.

Government has put in place an investor-friendly policy on Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), under which FDI, up to 100 per cent, is permitted, under the automatic route, in most sectors/activities. FDI policy is reviewed on an ongoing basis, with a view to making it more investor friendly, said the Uniion Minister of State in the Ministry of Commerce and Industry EM Sudarsana Natchiappan in Rajya Sabha on December 11.

The Government of India has announced the National Manufacturing Policy on November 4, 2011 with the objective of enhancing the share of manufacturing in GDP to 25 per cent and creating 100 million jobs over a decade or so, said the Union Minister of State in the Ministry of Commerce and Industry EM Sudarsana Natchiappan in Rajya Sabha on December 11.