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ROLE OF PACKAGING, PRINTING VITAL FOR PROMOTING VALUE-ADDED EXPORTS
Date : 09 Mar 2001
Location : New Delhi
Underlining the importance of the packaging and printing industry in India, Shri Omar Abdullah, Minister of State for Commerce and Industry, has said that the role of the packaging industry is vital in the context of ensuring greater value addition in the country's exports. Inaugurating Printpack India 2001, organised by the India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO) in association with Indian Printing, Packaging and Allied Machinery Manufacturers Association (IPAMA), here today, Shri Abdullah emphasised that these sectors had great relevance for the Indian economy in view of their employment potential and value added exports. "Printpack India effectively showcases the state of health in the printing and packaging sectors within the country and abroad and the prospects of their further modernisation and technological upgradation particularly in the domestic context", the Minister said. He urged the industry to constantly monitor global developments in the area of packaging especially of processed foods so that shelf life of food could be enhanced while simultaneously addressing the health needs of consumers adequately and effectively.
Referring to the printing industry in India, Shri Abdullah said that it was one of the biggest and fastest growing sectors in the country with over 1,20,000 printing presses in operation with a capital investment of Rs.80 billion. In addition, this sector provides direct employment to over 6,00,000 people and indirect employment to an additional 2,00,000, the Minister observed and urged the industry to go in for technical advancement in a big way to meet the projected demand in the coming years. He expressed the hope that six days of Printpack India would be a prelude to intensive business interactions among global partners geared to take these two very important industries to new heights.
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