The Hindu Business Line : FICCI initiative on affirmative action

New Delhi, July 11 In a bid to give a fillip to its affirmative action initiative, industry body FICCI has constituted committees to facilitate upliftment of the backward classes.

Mr Onkar S. Kanwar, Chairman and Managing Director of Apollo Tyres Ltd and past President of the chamber, is the chairman of the committee set up for the development of public-private participation and greenfield activity for industrial training institutes. The committee will focus on filling up the reserved seats for scheduled castes and scheduled tribes (SC and ST) students which remain unfilled to the tune of 81 per cent currently.

Mr K.K. Modi, Chairman, Modi Enterprises and also past President of the chamber, will be in charge of the committee formulated for development of entrepreneurship among SC and ST population. The chamber estimates that out of the 30.35 million total enterprises in India, SC and ST enterprises will cover over 3 million. The chamber has signed an MoU with IL&FS to develop and implement PPP approaches towards enhancing professional and vocational education and training in India.

Mr Saroj K. Poddar, Chairman, Poddar Heritage Investments and the immediate past President of the chamber, will head the committee that will facilitate investments in districts with high concentration of SC and ST population. The chamber has identified 27 districts with over 40 per cent of SC and ST population and has also identified local resource-based industry that offers good potential for development in such districts.