Chief Economic Adviser V Anantha Nageswaran states strong manufacturing is vital for the rupee's long-term strength. The recent budget includes measures to boost factory output. He emphasizes that manufacturing prowess influences currency strength more than services. Countries with robust manufacturing bases have seen their currencies retain strength over decades.
The government aims to raise 80,000 crore through disinvestment and asset monetisation in FY27. DIPAM secretary Arunish Chawla expressed confidence in meeting this ambitious target. Plans are underway to unlock value from land assets of state-run firms by establishing dedicated real estate investment trusts. Industry feedback is also being sought for stake dilution in public sector companies.
The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation will launch a six-month rapid survey in April to assess the economic contribution of functional cooperatives across India. This initiative aims to estimate their gross value added, gross value of output, and employment generation for financial years 2020-21 and 2023-24, addressing existing data gaps.
India's manufacturing activity saw a slight rebound in January, driven by increased new orders and output, though business confidence dipped to a three-and-a-half-year low. While consumer goods led the growth, capital goods lagged, and future output expectations weakened despite buoyant domestic demand and moderate international orders.
