Over 125 years old Ambala scientific instruments manufacturing industry has suffered severe shock from industry in China since past over a decade resulting nearly 50% drop in indigenous as well as export sale due to price war as such even suppliers in the country has started importing Chinese products and most of them selling in their own brand and Indian markets are today flooded with Chinese products due to price factor. According to manufacturers in ‘Science City’ Ambala once known all over in the world having nearly 3000 micro, small and medium manufacturing units in the town doing nearly 1800 crore annual turnover including exports to Europe, Gulf in and African countries has started losing production, business as well as reputation.
The entrepreneurs of Ambala scientific instruments industry suffering severe shock from industry in China has approached government that they are dependent for basic raw material including glass tubing in hundreds of glassware manufacturing industries in the country on China as such are unable to compete their prices and demanded support from the government to keep once famous this industry alive when Lok Sabha member Ambala Ratan Lal Kataria former Union Minister raised this question in Lok Sabha session. It is to mention that Ambala scientific instruments industry supplying components to defence organizations including HAL and used in ‘Agni-5’ Missile. Kataria also admitted there should be ban over imports from China on glassware products and microscopes to save collapsing Ambala industry. He said, there is immediate need to develop a Common Facility Centre in ‘Science City’ to assist small manufacturers since the project announced years ago still hanging on fire since a long time.
Vikram Choudhary, President Ambala Small Instrument Manufacturing Association told that Ambala scientific goods manufacturing industry is dependent on raw material imported from China but still facing tough competition and challenge from manufacturers from manufacturers in China on the basis of quality products. He said that there should be control over the prices of raw material. He said, in order to bring life in collapsing industry at Ambala state government had made proposal to set up a Tool Room Centre and its foundation stone was laid at Saha industrial area years ago in order to assist small scale manufacturers and the project is hanging on fire since over a decade without action. He expressed regrets over another project for developing a science cluster in the town and the project is yet dumped in files.
