By TIOL News Service

NEW DELHI, MAR 02, 2017: UNION Minister for Chemicals & Fertilizers and Parliamentary Affairs Ananth Kumar presented the 7th National Awards for Technology Innovation in Petrochemicals and Downstream Plastics Processing Industry (2016-17), here yesterday. Minister of State for Chemicals & Fertilizers, Shipping, Road Transport & Highways, Shri Mansukh Lal Mandaviya graced the occasion as the Guest of Honour.
 
Central Institute of Plastics Engineering and Technology (CIPET), an autonomous organization under Department of Chemicals & Petrochemicals (DCPC), has been entrusted with the responsibility of implementing the scheme of the National Awards for Technology Innovation in Petrochemical sector and Downstream Plastics Processing Industry. For the 7th National Awards, 415 nominations were received and finally, 16 nominations have been selected as Winners and 7 nominations as Runners-up for 2016-17.
 
Addressing the gathering, Mr Ananthkumar said that the Chemicals & Petrochemicals and Plastics industry has grown around 12% this year, defying all claims of a slowdown in the economy post the demonetization drive.  Further, he expressed optimism while saying that in the next three years, this sector would achieve 15% growth.
 
Recognizing the achievements of CIPET, the Minister said that the institution is playing a pioneering role in skilling the youth of India, who in the times to come, would be the torch bearers of the Skill India, Start-up India and Make in India missions of the Government in this sector. The Minister noted that the Government has already increased the number of CIPETs from 23 to 39 in two and half years and is determined to take this number to 100 as per Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s vision. He also mentioned that due to the efforts of CIPET, for the first time in elections, the containers for Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) were made of plastic instead of metals, which made them light, durable and easy to carry to far flung areas.