The Deputy Chief Minister, M.K. Stalin, on Saturday made a call to industrialists to make use of the industry-friendly atmosphere in Tamil Nadu.
Addressing a meeting after formally launching the commercial production of 3G mobile communications infrastructure equipment at Nokia Siemens Networks plant at Oragadam on April 10, the Deputy Chief Minister said it was his wish to invite the captains of industry to make use of the excellent investment and business opportunities that Tamil Nadu offers now.
The State, apart from being a major automobile industrial hub, was all set to become a preferred destination for the telecommunication industry. As far as the growth in telecom industry is concerned, the Tamil Nadu circle remains one of the front-runners in terms of tele-density and occupies top position for its number of wireless communication subscribers.
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Commending Nokia Siemens for absorbing 80 per cent of its workforce from its neighbourhood, Mr. Stalin urged the company to bring their vendors to Tamil Nadu so as to reduce the imported contents in their product.
Speaking on the occasion, the Industries Secretary, Rajiv Ranjan, said it was happy to note rapid indigenisation of Information Communication Technology sector, compared to 80 per cent import and 20 per cent local component sourcing system adopted in the recent past. Stating that the electronics and telecommunication equipment manufacturing sector was poised for significant growth in the near future, the Industries Secretary claimed that Tamil Nadu had attracted a good number of ICT industries apart from international automobile giants.
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Participating in the function, the Managing Director, State Industries Promotion Corporation of Tamil Nadu, M.Govindan said it had been proposed to acquire another 1,800 acres on the northern side and 700 on the eastern side of the existing SIPCOT Industrial Park at Oragadam. It had also been proposed to set up an industrial complex at Pillaipakkam in addition to three complexes that already exist in this region.
The Oragadam SIPCOT Industrial Park, which had only attracted two industries prior to 2006, has witnessed a boom from 2006 as it had attracted 117 units with a total investment of Rs.19,107 crore. Just 113 acres were allotted to the two industries prior to 2006, while 2,803 acres of land in the industrial park was allotted during the last four years as the investors found themselves in the comfort zone of Tamil Nadu which was free from Maoist or terrorist problems, he added.