Nitin Gadkari lauds India Auto Inc for achieving speedy BS VI upgrade

Auto Expo – The Motor Show 202o was officially inaugurated at the India Expo Mart yesterday by Nitin Gadkari, Hon’ble Minister, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways & Shipping, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, Government of India.

Also present at the official inauguration were Rajan Wadhera, President, SIAM & President, Automotive Sector, Mahindra & Mahindra; Deepak Jain, President ACMA and Chairman & Managing Director, Lumax Industries ; Kenichi Ayukawa, Vice President, SIAM and MD & CEO, Maruti Suzuki India; Gurpratap Boparai, Chairman, SIAM Trade Fair Group & Managing Director, Skoda Auto Volkswagen India ; Mr. Rajesh Menon, Director General SIAM; Vinnie Mehta, Director General, ACMA; and Chandrajit Banerjee, Director General, CII.

Afterthe ceremonial lamp lighting, Nitin Gadkari said “I am happy that the auto industry stood together and worked towards achieving the target of BS-VI adoption, in spite of the initial reservations and fear that surrounded it. I thank all the manufacturers of the auto industry and laud your efforts. The government is aware that the automobile sector is the most important contributor in the manufacturing sector and in generating large employment. The revenue derived from the auto industry is very important and therefore the government will support the industry throughout. The future is of electric vehicles and I have full faith that in the near future, the Indian automobile industry will become number one in manufacturing and export of electric vehicles.”

He added, “To support this coveted dream, the government will be developing better infrastructure, adding approximately 40,000 kms of road network and developing 23 express highways. The government will focus on the ethos of conversion of knowledge into wealth and lay emphasis on investing in research & development.”

Rajan Wadhera, president, SIAM & President, Automotive Sector, Mahindra & Mahindra, said, “The auto industry is an angel of growth and a beacon of make in India for the country as it contributes 49 percent to the manufacturing GDP and 15 percent to GST and support host of other industries. We thank the government for supporting the industry for its transition towards BS-VI compliance, reducing emission and improving safety. The Indian automotive industry has circumvented many challenges, the biggest amongst them is reducing emissions, passenger safety and within those boundaries, to provide affordable mobility to the masses.”

Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari at the inauguration of the Auto Expo Motor Show 2020, along with heads of the Indian automobile and component industry.