DPE Secretary Inaugurates Workshop On Industry 4.0 Adoption In CPSUs

In a decisive move to accelerate smart manufacturing and digital transformation, the Department of Public Enterprises (DPE), Ministry of Finance, Government of India, organised a day-long Workshop on Industry 4.0 in New Delhi. The event focused on sectoral applications of emerging technologies and strategic approaches for their adoption across Central Public Sector Undertakings (CPSUs).

The workshop was inaugurated by K. Moses Chalai, Secretary, Department of Public Enterprises, who emphasised the urgent need for a “Whole-of-CPSEs” (WoC) approach, inspired by the “Whole-of-Government” model. He highlighted that the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) should be seen as a national mission, and called for collaborative integration of key 4IR enablers—including Artificial Intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), Digital Twins, 3D Printing, and 5G-enabled smart infrastructure—across the CPSU ecosystem.

Chalai also noted that Industry 4.0 adoption may soon be reflected in the CPSU MoU assessment framework, underscoring the importance of early adoption in enhancing global competitiveness and operational agility.

Expert Insights and Presentations

The workshop featured insightful presentations from domain experts:

• Mr. A. Anand, a deployment expert, spoke on Digital Designing, Reverse Engineering, and 3D Printing applications across industry verticals, citing examples from India’s first 5G Labs and Centres of Excellence in 3D Printing.

• Dr. Prabhjot Singh Sugga, Associate Professor at SPA, Delhi, elaborated on the Digital Twin platforms, highlighting their transformative potential in plant management, infrastructure design, and disaster resilience.

• Ms. Vidushi Chaturvedi, AI and ML specialist, illustrated how Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning can drive predictive analytics, resource optimization, and intelligent decision-making in public enterprises.

CPSU Success Stories

CPSEs like Powergrid, HSCC, and BSNL shared real-world use cases and pilot initiatives:

• AI-driven predictive maintenance

• Digital simulation for planning and monitoring

• 3D printing-enabled supply chain solutions

CMDs and Directors from top CPSUs—NTPC, NHPC, GAIL, CONCOR, IRCTC, RITES, AAI, and WAPCOS—actively participated in the discussions, which focused on strategic roadmaps, capacity building, and sector-specific implementations.

Looking Ahead
The workshop also unveiled the DPE’s Concept Paper and Adoption Potential Matrix, outlining the applicability of 4IR technologies across sectors such as Oil & Gas, Railways, Mining, Healthcare, Handlooms, and Infrastructure.

DPE reaffirmed its commitment to facilitate CPSUs in their digital transformation journey. This workshop marks a significant milestone in realising the national vision for Industry 4.0, with future regional workshops planned across India. The entire series is expected to conclude by August 2025, ensuring inclusive outreach and knowledge sharing with CPSUs nationwide.