He said that India is at the crux of a quality revolution. Lamenting that quality had been the biggest casualty in the country in the past, he urged that it is time for businesses to adopt modern quality standards and ensure that the country’s ecosystem is trained towards good quality and follows good manufacturing practices. There are around 700 quality control orders in the country, he informed.

Business chambers like IMC would do a great service to the nation by spreading the message of quality control, he added. Goyal further said that adopting and handholding small businesses by the big players for quality control and upgrading their manufacturing practices are also very important.

About sustainability, he said that it is another important aspect of trade and commerce. Indian ethos traditionally reflects consciousness for sustainability for thousands of years. It is important to recognise sustainability as a challenge in present times, which along with energy efficiency should be a focus area for businesses.

He further said development cannot happen if there is no inclusive growth in the country, for which targeted interventions like ease of living initiatives for various communities and infrastructure development across the country have been taken up by the government. The minister urged that businesses will also have to cater to the agenda of inclusive development through better CSR initiatives.

Goyal stated that skill-building initiatives for the people will add more jobs and make our economy stronger. In this context, he stated that two more skill development centres are coming up in north Mumbai, after the launch of the first state-of-the-art skill centre in Mumbai’s Kandivali area last year.

He also said that increasing efficiency and competitiveness is the need of the hour. Businesses should thrive on competitive strength and engage with the world with confidence, instead of depending on the government for subsidies, support, incentives and so on, he added.

Dignitaries present on the occasion included Australia’s Queensland state’s Finance, Trade, Employment and Training Minister Rosslyn Bates and IMC Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Sanjaya Mariwala, among others.