The Hindu : Front Page : Proactive policies bringing in projects: Karunanidhi

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Wednesday, Dec 06, 2006
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Proactive policies bringing in projects: Karunanidhi

Special Correspondent

Computer major Dell's manufacturing project launched

— Photo: M. Vedhan

SHARING A LIGHTER MOMENT: Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi with Dell (Asia Pacific) president Steve Felice in Chennai on Tuesday.

CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu Government, in the last six months, forged memoranda of understanding with six large companies for projects that would bring in a total investment of Rs.2,700 crore, Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi said on Tuesday.

This was possible due to proactive policies pursued by it and facilitation measures introduced for new industrial investments, particularly the single window system for providing clearances, he said.

Mr. Karunanidhi was addressing a function here to mark the launch of computer major Dell's manufacturing project at the Sriperumbudur hi-tech park, with an initial investment of $ 30 million.

To be established on 50 acres, it will be the third manufacturing facility of Dell in the Asia Pacific region.

Model unveiled

The Government's policies were aimed at facilitating foreign and domestic investments through investor-friendly and transparent decision-making processes. "The State is keen to further raise the manufacturing competitiveness of industry and ensure that infrastructure in all parts of the State is raised to world standards," Mr. Karunanidhi said, unveiling a model of the Dell plant.

The Sriperumbudur SIPCOT industrial estate, he said, had emerged as an electronic hardware (manufacturing) zone. Leading companies such as Flextronics, Motorola and Samsung were setting up their base there.

Expressing the hope that the Dell facility would become its largest, and that a majority of the people employed by it would be from Tamil Nadu, he said the project would provide direct employment to 1,100 people and indirect employment to 4,000 others.

Union Minister for Communications and Information Technology Dayanidhi Maran said "the who's who of the world are arriving in large numbers to set up hardware manufacturing plants in India."

`Ideal location'

Dell Asia Pacific president Steve Felice said Tamil Nadu was the ideal location for the project with a capacity to manufacture four lakh units of desktop computers a year. The State offered a strong combination of advantages, including workforce with the educational qualification required, fast improving infrastructure and a pro-active, supportive government.

Dell Asia Pacific vice-president (manufacturing) Simon Wong said the Sriperumbudur plant would be "up and running" in the first half of 2007.

Senior executives of the company, including Dell India vice-president and general manager Rajan Anandan, told reporters that the plant would reduce the cost of computers and the delivery period.

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