TN sanctions Rs 50 crore to modernise industries centres

Our Bureau Updated - August 22, 2012 at 09:28 PM.

To invest Rs 100 cr every year for entrepreneurship development

Growth plans: T.T. Ashok (right), Managing Director, Taylor Rubber Pvt Ltd; M.C. Sampath, Tamil Nadu Minister for Rural Industries, Cottage Industries, Small Industries and Nutritious Noon Meal; and R. Balakrishnan, Additional Chief Secretary and Director, Entrepreneurship Development Institute, Government of Tamil Nadu, at the inaugural session of MSME Conclave 2012, in Chennai on Wednesday. — Photo: Bijoy Ghosh

The Tamil Nadu Government has committed to investing Rs 100 crore every year for entrepreneurship development in the State.

Besides, the Government has sanctioned Rs 50 crore to modernise all District Industries Centres with facilities such as computers with Internet connection and also facilities for video conferencing for the benefit of micro, small and medium enterprises in the State, said M.C. Sampath, Minister for Rural, Cottage and Small Industries & Nutritious Noon Meal, Government of Tamil Nadu.

Delivering the inaugural address at the two-day MSME Conclave organised here by the Confederation of Indian Industry, the Minister said the Government is in the process of renovating 21 District Industries Centres and constructing new buildings for 11 such centres, which are currently operating in rented premises.

The State has nearly eight lakh small industrial units set up with an investment of over Rs 30,000 crore, and is providing employment to more than 53 lakh people – the highest in the country, he said.

Infrastructure

The Government also plans to create necessary infrastructure to facilitate 100 clusters during the 12{+t}{+h} Five-Year Plan and also to set up nine coir clusters across the State in association with the Coir Board during the plan period.

According to R. Balakrishnan, Additional Chief Secretary and Director of Entrepreneurship Development Institute, the institute would identify and train entrepreneurs and also help them set up their facilities in the State. During the current year, he said, the institute is expected to train at least 1,000 such entrepreneurs. Besides providing them infrastructure support and various subsidies, the Government will also help them face global competition by handholding them when it comes to market access, he said.

> ravikumar.ramanujam@thehindu.co.in

Published on August 22, 2012 15:21