This story is from May 28, 2007

CII to focus on education, tourism reforms

Yogima Seth / TNN / May 28, 2007, 00:02 IST

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CII will focus on bringing about reforms in education and unleashing the potential of tourism in India.

CII to focus on education, tourism reforms

NEW DELHI: Under Sunil Bharti Mittal, industry chamber Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), will focus on bringing about reforms in education and unleashing the potential of tourism in India.
"CII's priority will be to ensure education is imparted at all levels — primary, secondary and higher,"says its newly elected president Mittal, who as a Bharti group CEO has earmarked Rs 200 crore to set up 1,000 schools that will largely focus on education of girls.
Taking forward CII's Affirmative Action Plan, Mittal is committed to ensure that both Centre and the industry work hand-in-hand to initiate courses that will develop skilled workforce for the Indian economy which is expected to grow at 9.2% in 2007-08.
"Considering that there will be around 360 million people in the working age of 6-16 years, CII will ensure that 280 million of them — who may not be able to complete their education — get absorbed in the industry after taking these certified courses, "he said reinstating the fact that the industry continues to be against any legislation for the reservation of SCs and STs.

With tourism as next big priority, Mittal feels that the Centre should enact a special tourism zone (STZ) policy and set up a national STZ authority that will ensure development of rural clusters in India to attract tourists. "This should be coupled with setting up of many more hotels along with world-class airports to cater to the rising number of tourists."
Buoyed by the good corporate sector performance with net sales growth at 21% and net profit growth at 74% during the third quarter of 2006-07, Mittal says the economy may see a double-digit growth in years to come. "The way Indian economy is growing there is no reason why profit margins should not widen. And I see no wrong in companies making profits as they invest money only to earn profits,"says Mittal in response to PM's call for imposing limits to profit maximisation by companies.

Mittal also calls for deregulation of sectors like energy, mining and food products as they could together enhance the GDP growth rate by 1.5-2% along with rationalisation of direct taxes and accelerating organised retail that will add another 1.5-2% to the GDP.
Emphasising on the need to investment $340 billion in infrastructure over the next five years, he calls for a greater participation of the government as private players can contribute maximum to the tune of 20% as is the phenomenon globally.
yogima.seth2@timesgroup.com

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