WELCOME TO STATE: Anil Ambani, chairman, Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group, greeting Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi at the Secretariat in Chennai on Saturday. — Photo: S.R. Raghunathan

CHENNAI: Coming to Chennai after a decade, Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group chairman Anil Ambani on Saturday unveiled plans to invest Rs.12,000 crore in Tamil Nadu.

While Rs.10,000 crore will be invested in a multi-product Special Economic Zone (SEZ) integrated with a 1,000 mega watt power plant linked to a desalination plant, the rest of the investment will be for setting up an information technology park and a world-class convention centre.

The amount of water produced from the power plant would be close to a third of the current water shortage in Chennai, Mr. Ambani said.

Investments outlined

Mr. Ambani outlined the investment proposals during his meeting with Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi at the Secretariat.

"We are encouraged by the buoyancy of investment climate in the State and made two specific proposals for the consideration of the Government," he told presspersons later.

IT destination

On factors behind the proposed investment in IT park, he said, "People now look at Tamil Nadu and Chennai as the IT destination of India. We... look forward to working with the State Government to progress our thoughts further," Mr Ambani said.

Union Minister for Communications and Information Technology Dayanidhi Maran said Mr. Ambani wanted to meet the Chief Minister to outline the investment plans.

"They had a good meeting," he said.

According to sources, the State Government would examine the proposals and initiate discussions with the group.

The concept of a power project linked to a desalination plant was popular abroad and preferred for its cost benefits.

Tamil Nadu ahead

Later, participating in a panel discussion at `Connect 2006,' Mr. Ambani said Tamil Nadu showed signs of becoming the leader and catalysing the growth in the field of information and communication technology.

He said this after recalling that his father Dhirubhai Ambani used to define leader as someone who was able to attract followers.

Empowering people

Underlining the need to address `infostructure' besides infrastructure, Mr. Ambani said the surest way of empowering people was with information and connectivity.

India, he said, was on the threshold of a major communication revolution.

Referring to the investment proposals made by Mr. Ambani, the Union Minister said: "Please visit Tamil Nadu more often."

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