By Satnam Singh
CORRESPONDENT
Published: December 4, 2013 4:01 pm ET
Updated: December 4, 2013 4:06 pm ET
MUMBAI — The All India Plastics Manufacturers Association is seeking government help — so its members can invest in new technology, and in the form of new plastics parks all over the country.
“Plastics is one of the biggest contributors to India’s GDP [gross domestic product], with the growth rate of 12-15 percent per annum, over 50,000 manufacturers, and employs over 4 million workers in India,” said AIPMA President Anand Oza.
“Our aim is to highlight the demands with the government and motivate policy changes that better the growth of the industry,” he said.
One aim could be to get industry and the government to work together on innovations and infrastructure for recycling plastics, he said.
Mumbai-based AIPMA appealed for an investment of 25,000 rupees ($3.9 billion) to build more plastic parks around the country. Currently parks are taking shape in northern India in Panipat (Haryana) and North Rajasthan, Gujarat at Dahej and Sanand, Karnataka at Narasapura Industrial Area, Harohalli, and Kerala.
Oza spoke on the eve of the Plastivision trade show, taking place Dec. 12-16 in Mumbai. Raju Desai, chairman of Plastivision India 2013, said the show will highlight growth potential for plastics in India.
Per-capita consumption of plastics in India is projected to grow to 20 kilograms by 2020, up from 8 kg. today, Desai said.
AIPMA noted that Plastivision will showcase that increased consumption of plastic is not bad, but that waste management issues are important and national recycling initiatives are needed. | 
