The Modi government promulgated a Public Procurement (preference to ‘Make in India’) Order of 2017 which mandates that “each tender must be examined from the point of view of Indian manufacturers.”
It gives a straight (unconscionable?) 20 percent, yes t.w.e.n.t.y percent, price advantage to local manufacturers, damn efficiency and consumer interest! And if a foreign supplier still wins the bid, half of the order has to be given to an Indian manufacturer.
Unfortunately, 43 months out, Modi’s government carries the opprobrium of being Big State. It’s getting bigger, more intrusive and most discretionary, with every passing day. Its motto can be restated as ‘maximum government, maximum economic statism.’
Can it still roll back the State and redeem quite a bit of its earlier promise, even if less than 18 months of its tenure are left?
I believe it can make a few key amends with just three new year resolutions. Read those three resolutions by Raghav here.
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