Chennai: Vowing to turn Tamil Nadu into the most industrialized State in the country, Chief Minister M K Stalin said that efforts were on to make it the number one business destination by focusing on the right kind of development.
Speaking at a function organized at the VOC Ground in Coimbatore on Monday, he said his government would not discriminate against any region just because the DMK did not win that many seats there and listed out a slew of schemes devised for developing local infrastructure.
Referring to the meeting that the Chief Minister would have with industrialists on Tuesday, he said more MoUs would be signed, facilitating more investments that would not only contribute to the industrial development that was of paramount importance for national development and people’s progress but also bring more jobs to the youth.
Acknowledging Coimbatore’s industrial infrastructure, Stalin said that several MSMEs also operated from there besides providing employment to many workers. His government would ensure that it became a developed district in all aspects, he said.
Among the schemes that he announced for Coimbatore were the development of the airport. He said the plan that was pending for 10 years would not be implemented as soon as possible since the government had allocated Rs 1,132 crore for the purpose.
He had already ordered the augmentation of water supply in the region and the areas under the Corporation limits would be provided with drinking water every alternative day and work on the construction of five scheme roads had already begun with an allocation of Rs 200 crore for the purpose, Stalin said.
For the construction of underground drainage in Vellaikinarnu and Chinnavedampatti areas that were recently integrated with the Corporation, Rs 309 crore had been earmarked and a Chemmozhi Park would come up at a cost of Rs 200 crore in Gandhinagar with facilities like pavements, indoor and outdoor auditoriums.
While the Coimbatore jail, presently located in the centre of the city, would be taken to the outskirts, waste management would be done at a cost of Rs 11 crore. While 63 health centres and 3 medical laboratories would be constructed at a cost of Rs 16 crore, for street lighting Rs 20 crore has been earmarked.
The Chief Minister, who arrived at the venue late, said that his drive from the airport took so long as he had to stop and accept the greetings of the multitude of people who had gathered on both sides of the road and also to collect memoranda from them.
All petitions to the government had been looked into and most of the grievances had been addressed, he said, adding that the process started on the day the government assumed office when the petitions received during the time of the election campaign were opened.
The grand event, attended by crowds of people and organized by Electricity Minister Senthil Balajai, was to inaugurate 70 completed schemes, costing Rs 587.91 crore, and for laying the foundation for 128 new schemes that would be implemented at a cost of Rs 89.73 crore. It also marked the distribution of grants to the tune of Rs 641.61 crore to 25,123 beneficiaries.
