The government has introduced the Electronics Repair Services Outsourcing (ERSO) Pilot initiative, in alignment with the Prime Minister’s overarching goal of positioning India as a leading force in the global electronics industry. This initiative aims to validate certain transformational policy and process changes to make the country the repair capital of the world, according to a press release.
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC), the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), and the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) have collaborated closely with the industry to implement policy and procedural reforms. These changes are intended to position India as the most appealing destination for repairing information and communication technology (ICT) products on a global scale. It is anticipated that within the next five years, India’s Electronics Repair Services Outsourcing industry will generate revenues of up to US $20 billion and create millions of job opportunities in the country.
The release claimed that the project is a game changer and has garnered substantial government support with the aim of establishing India as a global frontrunner in an unexplored domain.
In the past few months, various government departments have introduced the necessary policy and process changes for the ERSO initiative. These changes have been developed through extensive discussions with the repair industry and are currently undergoing validation to assess their effectiveness and efficiency. To facilitate this validation, a limited pilot programme has been launched in Bengaluru and will last for three months. Five prominent companies have volunteered to help the pilot. Following the completion of the pilot, a comprehensive evaluation will be conducted, and adjustments to the process and policy will be made as necessary.
Aligning with the Prime Minister’s call to uphold Mission LiFE, the ERSO initiative is expected to bring about a revolutionary transformation in global environmental sustainability. It reaffirms India’s dedication to safeguarding the environment and preserving the planet, the release noted. By facilitating affordable and dependable repairs for ICT products on a global scale, the ERSO initiative will significantly contribute to extending the lifespan of devices worldwide.
Mission LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment), envisioned by the Prime Minister at the Climate Change Conference (COP26), emphasises mindful and deliberate utilisation instead of mindless and wasteful consumption. More than 100,000 LiFE-related events have taken place across India mobilising over 1.7 million individuals to take pro-planet actions. These include cleanliness drives, bicycle rallies, plantation drives, LiFE marathons, plastic collection drives, composting workshops, and taking a LiFE pledge. Many schools and colleges are also undertaking cultural competitions such as street plays, essays, paintings, and youth parliaments.
Recently, the Minister for Environment, Forest, and Climate Change launched the Meri LiFE mobile application. The move aimed to catalyse youth action for climate change as a build-up to World Environment Day on 5 June.
As OpenGov Asia reported, the app monitors the progress of Mission LiFE. Once users sign up, they will be guided to engage in a range of LiFE-related tasks under five themes: Save Energy, Save Water, Reduce Single-Use Plastic, Adopt Sustainable Food Systems, and Adopt Healthy Lifestyles. Through a gamified approach, the app encourages individuals to take part in the “5 for 5 challenge,” which entails undertaking five LiFE actions leading up to World Environment Day.
