CHENNAI: Industries minister M.C.Sampath on Friday said Tamil Nadu had attracted foreign direct investments worth Rs. 1,25,970 crore from 2011 to 2016 occupying the third place in the country as per the date given by the centre. Replying to the discussion on demand for grants to his ministry, the minister said the state had recorded an economic growth of 9.25 per cent in the last 12 years and takes the second place in India.
He said foundation stone had been laid for eight MoUs signed in the Global Investors Meet and works had been started, he said and added that the companies in the list included Lotus Footwear, Apollo tyres, ITC, TVS Motors, Saint Gobain, MRF, Shenglong Bio Tech and Embassy Logistics. The MoUS with Microsoft, Amway, TNPL, Takasago, Growthlink Overseas, Samsung, Sun Edison Solar Power and Belspan had already come into force, he told the Assembly.
A total of 98 MoUs were signed in GIM and works had been commenced for 61 MoUs worth Rs 62,738 crore. A total of Rs 29,615 crore been invested in the 61 MoUs leading to employment for 76,271 persons, he said. The Minister also pointed out that Rs 73 crore had been allocated for holding the next Global Investors Meet in 2018. As per the report of the National Council of Applied Economic Research, Tamil Nadu takes the third place in investment potential index and the World Bank report had pointed out that the economic growth of Tamil Nadu in the year 2016 is 8.79 per cent compared to the national growth rate of 7.2 per cent.
Sampath said SIPCOT had began to acquire 19,615 acres of land to set up new industrial parks in nine districts incuding Ramanathapuram, Sivaganga, Pudukottai, Dindigul, Theni, Virudhunagar, Tuticorin, Tirunelveli and Kanyakumari. Besides another eight districts Tiruvallur, Vellore, Krishnagiri, Dharmapuri and Perambalur had been identified to form new industrial complexes at an area of 7,128 acres. He said TIDCO is working on liquefied fuel gas import terminal at Tiruvallur, Ticel biological park at Coimbatore and Aerospace park at Sriperumbudur, he said. The minister also announced simplifying of procedure to grant licence for m-sand to protect the environment and protect the rivers from indiscriminate sand quarrying.
