NEW DELHI- Luring Multinationals into High Technology Areas

April 7, 1984 NEW DELHI Luring Multinationals into High Technology Areas B M M S SANJEEVI RAO is only a Deputy Minister in the Union government, in- charge of the electronics department and Chairman of the Electronics Commission. But he is playing a role much bigger than his formal office would ordinarily warrant He is indeed being noted as a spokesman of the government on major shift in industrial policy. He evidently enjoys the confidence of the Prime Minister and her close advisors. His standing with them was very much enhanced when he carried through last August, on the promptings of the top leadership of the ruling party and Rajiv Gandhi particularly, significant adjustments in electronics policy. The development of electronics and communications is currently receiving special attention of the leadership. It has not escaped notice in this context that Rao was chosen to announce on behalf of the government major policy changes in the development of the communications infrastructure and the communications equipment industry. Ordinarily, such an announcement should have been the prerogative of the Communications Minister. But the policy changes are reported to have come about after some controversy within the government, especially between the Communications and Electronics Departments, in which the stand of the Electronics Department is said to have prevailed with the personal backing of the Prime Minister.