SOP in final stages to facilitate visa for Chinese technicians needed in mfg units: Official
PLI scheme, the government is in the final stages to put in place similar processes for other manufacturing units, an official said. The move assumes significance as some domestic manufacturing firms have flagged the issue of delay in getting visas for Chinese technicians, who are required for works like installation or repair of certain machines, besides training workers in India.
«Most of the PLI (production-linked incentive scheme) visas have been taken care of. For general manufacturing also, we are trying to create a better streamlined SOP… that is with the Ministry of Home Affairs. It's at the final stages. We are hoping to sort it out. We have done a lot of sensitisation,» the official said.
The rollout of SOPs does not require any approval from the Union cabinet as it is an internal process to relax norms «a bit» for facilitating visa applications of Chinese professionals or technicians whose expertise is required by domestic manufacturing units, the official added.
Normally, these experts require a visa for 3-6 months.
Hailing the move, an industry official said an SOP will help greatly as these manufacturing units need some expertise from Chinese professionals.
«The SOP will be a very good decision. Chinese technicians are working in countries like Vietnam and Cambodia in the footwear sector. They are affordable also compared to Taiwanese or other experts. It will help upscale our production,» leading footwear manufacturer and Chairman of Chennai-based Farida Group Rafeeq Ahmed said.
The PLI scheme
