Take, for instance, the coal sector. The coal demand for the thermal power sector, its major consumer, in 2018 far exceeded the local supplies. As a result, the country’s coal import during April-December, 2018 stood at nearly 172 million tonnes, representing almost 25 per cent of domestic production. Sadly, the domestic coal industry failed to implement new projects worth over Rs.11,000 crore. The total investment in all pending coal projects are worth over Rs. 35,000 crore. There are no convincing explanation on what are stalling the new coal projects when the coal demand is constantly growing. India’s total coal production is less than 700 million tonnes as against China’s three-billion-plus tonnes.

While the government itself is in the industrial investment exit mode, not many domestic private sector entrepreneurs barring a few few business houses such as Tatas, the Mukesh Ambani group, Mahindras, Adanis and Jindals, have shown much interest in local industrial expansion. The share of private investments in infrastructure has fallen to a 10-year low of around 25 percent in the fiscal 2018. Its share dropped almost six per cent in the last five years compared to the period between 2009 and 2014. However, investment analysts say the industrial investment growth has been downward ever since 2004, after the exit of the Atal Behari Bajpayee-led government. The policy focus of the subsequent governments failed to pep up the new industrial projects and investments in the last 14 years, during which the services sector showed an exponential growth, eclipsing the manufacturing and industrial sectors.

According to the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE), new project investments have been the lowest in 12 quarters at about Rs.100,000 crore during the quarter ended December 31, 2018, indicating a slowdown in the Indian economy. Others said the number is the lowest in 14 years, since mid-2004. The CMIE report said while the private sector capital expenditure remained sluggish as companies continued to focus on pruning balance sheets and deleveraging, the numbers came as a surprise because the government/public sector investments also did not seem to be enough to move the needle. The new investments have declined over 55 percent on a year-on-year basis, while sequentially it has fallen nearly 53 per cent. The most disturbing part is the number projects announced but not implemented. Investments stalled in such projects stood at a record level of over Rs.300,000 crore. This is much higher compared to the figure of Rs 15,486 crore in the three months ended December 2017, as well as compared with Rs 25,298 crore seen during July-September 2018.

Reports showed that the value of all stalled projects at the beginning of 2018 rose to a record level of nearly Rs.14 trillion. The private sector accounted for over two-thirds of the value of these stalled projects. The percentage share of the value of stalled private sector projects is the highest since March 2004. Interestingly, power projects continue to dominate stalled projects, accounting fro over 39 per cent. The next came the stalled manufacturing units. Other sector-wise areas of stalled projects include mining, services, construction and real estate. Such high level stalled projects dampened the spirit of announcement of fresh projects, especially in the private sector.

The present government, despite its so-called focus on ‘Make-in-India’, failed to improve the implementation rate of new projects to restore the confidence of the private sector in new investment in domestic production. Instead, the demonetisation of high-value currencies, followed by an under-prepared implementation of a four-level goods and services tax (GST) system, which kept the most important oil sector out of its ambit, may have further impacted fresh industrial investment in the country. Revival of stalled projects is extremely crucial for sustained economic recovery.

Although the manufacturing industry’s order book position had improved in the last two quarters, capital goods and heavy engineering majors seem to feel that the operational environment in India still remains challenging. Fresh investments in the power, coal, steel, cement, mining, refinery expansions, railway modernisation and expansion, highways and shipping can change the environment. Unfortunately, they are unlikely to gather speed until the next government is installed.

In fact, the implementation of stalled projects should receive the top economic priority of the next government. This will automatically increase the GDP growth, putting the country’s industry and economy on top gear. The employment market will boom once again, ensuring a steady growth of income, demand and supplies. There is no better way to serve the economy than creating strong bases for industry and agriculture. Fortunately, the country is doing reasonably well in agriculture. Economic agenda and financial ecosystem need to be reset now to achieve higher growth. According to top industrial entrepreneurs, India’s mining industry’s share of its GDP alone has the potential to quadruple, from 2.5 percent to 10 percent of GDP. Thus, the pending new projects, if implemented without much delay, have potential to raise the country’s GDP growth to 8.5 per cent in another two to three years. (IPA Service)