PLI Scheme: Streamlined Visas for Chinese Professionals

New Delhi, Nov 8 (PTI) The government has formulated a standard operating procedure (SOP) for streamlining visa approvals for Chinese professionals whose expertise is required by vendors under the PLI scheme, an official said on Wednesday.

Some players had flagged the visa issue in a stakeholder consultation meeting on the production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme in August.

The government at that time stated that it was trying to sort out visa-related matters where vendors require Chinese professionals' expertise.

"We have resolved the visa issue in the sense that we have created an SOP for PLI units. For their visas, we have a system under which their visa approvals will be streamlined. Yes, this is for Chinese professionals," the official said.

The PLI scheme was announced in 2021 for 14 sectors such as telecommunication, white goods, textiles, manufacturing of medical devices, automobiles, speciality steel, food products, high-efficiency solar PV modules, advanced chemistry cell battery, drones and pharma with an outlay of Rs 1.97 lakh crore.

The government is considering "course correction" in PLI sectors which are not performing well.

Sectors which are not picking up well include high-efficiency solar PV modules, advanced chemistry cell (ACC) batteries, textile products and speciality steel.

The government is expected to start disbursement of fiscal incentives under PLI for white goods in the last quarter of this financial year.

The production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme on white goods seeks to encourage domestic manufacturing of air conditioners and LED light components.

Till March, Rs 2,900 crore worth of incentives have been disbursed under the Rs 1.98 lakh crore PLI scheme.

Approval of the Rs 1,000 crore additional incentives for this year has been granted for companies engaged in electronics manufacturing.

Chinese firms in general are subject to greater scrutiny after the issuance of press note 3 by the government.

Under Press Note 3, the government has made its prior approval mandatory for foreign investments from countries that share a land border with India. These countries are China, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Bhutan, Nepal, Myanmar and Afghanistan.

As per that decision, FDI proposals from these countries need government approval for investments in India in any sector.