Bluestar, Daikin, Havells Among 42 Companies Selected For Rs 6,238 Crore PLI Scheme For Manufacturing White Goods, LED Lights

Bluestar, Daikin, Havells, Orient Electric, among others have been selected under the production linked incentive (PLI) scheme for white goods.

The government has provisionally selected 42 applicants with committed investment of Rs 4,614 crore under the PLI scheme to boost domestic manufacturing of white goods (air conditioners etc) and LED lights.

White goods refer to heavy consumer durables or large home appliances, which were traditionally available only in white. They include appliances such as washing machines, air conditioners, stoves, refrigerators, etc. LED Lights sector encompasses different segments like automotive lighting, general lighting and backlighting in commercial, residential, and industrial applications.

The selected applicants include 26 for air conditioner manufacturing with committed investments of Rs 3,898 crore and 16 for LED Lights manufacturing with committed investments of Rs 716 crore, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry said on Wednesday (3 November).

Six applicants proposing FDI from countries sharing land border with India have been advised to submit approval for FDI in terms of the revised government's policy for consideration of PLI under the scheme.

Four applicants are being referred to the Committee of Experts (CoE) for examination and its recommendations, the ministry said.

The proposal of Department for Promotion of Industry and Industrial Trade (DPIIT) for the PLI Scheme for White Goods for manufacturing of components and sub-assemblies of ACs and LED Lights was approved by the Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 7 April 2021.

The DPIIT is also the nodal department for the PLI Scheme for White Goods - Air Conditioners and LED lights sector.

The scheme is to be implemented over a seven year period, from FY2021-22 to FY2028-29 and has an outlay of Rs 6,238 crore. The scheme was notified by DPIIT on 16 April and its guidelines were published on 4 June.

Some modifications to the scheme guidelines were issued on 16 August and the applicants were given flexibility to choose the gestation period either up to March 2022 or up to March 2023.

Applications for the Scheme were invited from 15 June to 15 September.

Total 52 companies filed their application with committed investment of Rs 5,858 crore under the PLI scheme, the ministry said.