Urban Development Minister Venkaiah Naidu on Thursday asked Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to encourage Japanese companies to expand their production base in India under Make In India campaign.A high-level delegation of JICA, a governmental agency contributing to promotion of international cooperation and development of Japanese and global economy, led by its President Shinichi Kitaoka met Naidu here on Thursday, during which he also sought reduction in project appraisal time for metro projects in context of growing emphasis on infrastructure development.
"Under Make in India campaign, several foreign and Indian companies have expanded their production bases in India and Japanese companies may be encouraged to do so. The project appraisal time being currently taken by JICA needs to be reduced in the context of growing emphasis on infrastructure development in India," said Naidu, according to an official statement.Kitaoka said that the JICA would consider the suggestions positively."Japanese companies would be encouraged to set up their India bases to further Make In India efforts and also to increase procurement from Indian companies," the statement quoted Kitaoka as saying.Naidu further said that the JICA funded convention centre in Varanasi be named after 'India-Japan Friendship Convention Centre'.