Kalraj Mishra, union minister of micro, small and medium enterprises has said while PSUs have contributed to the country’s economic growth, in the current liberalised environment they need to compete hard.

Speaking at the Governance Now PSU award function on November 7, Mishra said it was a great occasion to recognise PSUs which had performed well in terms of both governance and productivity. “I must admit that some of our PSUs are inactive and suffering losses year after year. At the same time, many others are doing great work.”

The minister said during insurgency and in troubled areas (Maoist/separatist-affected); it was the PSUs that had made inroads. “But they are dealing with the problem of perception today. It is widely believed that everything related to government is not very productive. In the coming days, PSUs are going to face very stiff competition,” he added.

Talking about prime minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Make in India’ campaign, Mishra said it could only be successful if there was good coordination among all departments. He said there was a need to ensure highest level of quality in our products.

“The products made in India should match international standards. The need is to bring a change in work culture. And we can become a manufacturing hub for the world, thereby making India an economic super power,” he added.