About the scheme

• The Production Linked Incentive (PLI) aims to give companies incentives on incremental sales from products manufactured in domestic units. 
• Apart from inviting foreign companies to set shop in India, the scheme also aims to encourage local companies to set up or expand existing manufacturing units.
• The central government had for the first time notified the PLI scheme for mobile phones and allied component manufacturing in 2020. 
• Later, the government announced expansion of the PLI scheme to include more than 10 sectors including automobile and automobile components, pharmaceutical drugs, textile products, food products, high efficiency solar photo-voltaic modules, white goods such as air conditioners and LED bulbs, speciality steel products, drones and drone components, etc.

Why is the production linked scheme needed?

• The PLI schemes have been introduced as a key element of the Atma Nirbhar Bharat package to transform the manufacturing landscape of the Indian economy and integrate it into the global supply chains. 
• The strategy behind these schemes is to offer companies incentives on incremental sales from products manufactured in India, over the base year. 
• They have been specifically designed to boost domestic manufacturing in sunrise and strategic sectors, curb cheaper imports and reduce import bills, improve cost competitiveness of domestically manufactured goods, and enhance domestic capacity and exports.
• PLI Scheme is designed to create a complete component ecosystem in India and make India an integral part of the global supply chains. 
• The PLI scheme is expected to boost production worth an estimated $500 billion in five years since its introduction.

Why in News?

• The Ministry of Heavy Industries has issued a Gazette Notification to announce the extension of the tenure of the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme for Automobile and Auto Components by one year. 
• Under the amended scheme, the incentive will be applicable for a total of five consecutive financial years, starting from the financial year 2023-24. 
• The disbursement of the incentive will take place in the following financial year 2024-25. 
• The scheme also specifies that an approved applicant will be eligible for benefits for five consecutive financial years, but not beyond the financial year ending on March 31, 2028.