Context:

• The National Productivity Council observed National Productivity Day on 12 Februray, and National Productivity Week till 18th February. It is the 60th Anniversary of the National Productivity Council and is being celebrated as Diamond Jubilee Year.
• “Industry 4.0 Leapfrog Opportunity for India ” has been selected as the theme for the National Productivity Week -2018.
• Industry 4.0 or the fourth industrial revolution as it is called, is emerging globally as a powerful force and is being called as the next industrial revolution. It is characterized by the increasing digitization and interconnection of products, value chains and business models. 
• Industry 4.0 would mean the convergence of real and virtual worlds-the next phase in bringing together conventional and modern technologies in manufacturing. This will result in the “Smart Factory”, which is characterized by versatility, resource efficiency, ergonomic design and direct integration with business partners.
• The first industrial revolution was triggered by water and steam power to move from human labour to mechanical manufacturing. The second industrial revolution built on electric power to create mass production. The third used electronic and information technology to automate manufacturing. The fourth is the current trend of automation and data exchange in manufacturing technologies.

Background:

• National Productivity Council is national level organization to promote productivity culture in India. Established by the Ministry of Industry, Government of India in 1958, it is an autonomous, multipartite, non-profit organization with equal representation from employers’ & workers’ organizations and Government, apart from technical & professional institutions and other interests.
• NPC is a constituent of the Tokyo-based Asian Productivity Organisation (APO), an Inter Governmental Body, of which the Government of India is a founder member.
• NPC teams up with its clients to work out solutions towards accelerating productivity, enhancing competitiveness, increasing profits, augmenting safety and reliability and ensuring better quality.
• It provides reliable database for decision-making, improved systems and procedures, work culture as well as customer satisfaction both internal & external. The solutions can be all-encompassing or specific depending on the nature of the problem.
• The council also helps monitor, review and implement the identified strategies. Promotional and catalytic in nature, NPC’s services have bearings on economic growth and quality of life.
• The Council promotes a comprehensive view of productivity focused on improving triple bottom line – economic, environmental and social and adds value for all the stakeholders through generation & application of advanced knowledge for inclusive Growth.

Source: PIB & Wiki