Dharwad: The ‘Make in India’ initiative has been helping foreign capitalists to invest in India so that they can create a market for their products, theatre personality Prasanna said.
Speaking after inaugurating a two-day State-level ‘Swadeshi Convention’ organised by the Rajiv Dikshit Vichara Vedike, Gandhi Prathisthana and Karnatak Vidyavardhaka Sangh Prasanna said this trend has impacted most of the expectations of boosting cottage industries. ‘Make in India’ was actually doing nothing to propagate cottage industries and the rural economy, he said adding that with the project helping only foreign capitalists, local artisans have been reduced to the state of beggars.
“During the pre-independence days, the concept of ‘Swadeshi’ helped the country to unite and fight against colonial powers. However, after independence, the state of cottage industries has not changed much and local artisans are left to fight powerful multinational companies for markets,” he said.
The agriculture, weaving, fisheries, and handloom sectors have been severely affected by the advent for MNCs. In one of the government reports, it was said that the contribution of cottage industries to the GDP is 3.4%, he pointed.
Presiding over the programme, Samaj Parivartana Samudaya president S.R. Hiremath said nowadays, a “few capitalists” were dictating terms to the government. “To save the Indian economy, we should free it from the clutches of capitalists, he said.
