The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Officials woo delegation from U.S. State

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Apr 25, 2007
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Officials woo delegation from U.S. State

Special Correspondent

Tamil Nadu, Virginia officials discuss economic, business ties

CLOSER TIES: L.K. Tripathy, Chief Secretary (left), having a word with Aneesh Chopra, Virginia `s Secretary of Technology, at the business meeting with a delegation from the Commonwealth of Virginia, U.S., in Chennai on Tuesday. Shaktikanta Das, Indu stries Secretary and David T. Hopper, U.S. Consul- General (extreme right), are in the picture. — Photo: S. S. Kumar

CHENNAI : Tamil Nadu and the Commonwealth of Virginia, U.S., should have closer and stronger economic and business ties. This was the message that came of a meeting organised in Chennai on Tuesday by the Tamil Nadu State Council of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) with a delegation from Virginia.

Addressing the meeting, L.K. Tripathy, Chief Secretary, referred to commonalities between the two States. He said the State Government had been taking steps to upgrade infrastructure to meet future requirements. In electricity, the State was planning to become a provider to other States, after meeting its needs.

Noting that Virginia did not shy away from globalisation but actively pursued it, Patrick O. Gottschalk, Commerce and Trade Secretary, said that last year his State recorded exports of $21 billion.

Its trade with India had gone up sharply over the years. Aneesh Chopra, Virginia's Secretary of Technology, said that apart from him, two others of Indian descent had been appointed to the State's administration.

C. Chandramouli, Tamil Nadu Information Technology Secretary, made a presentation on the advantages of investing in the State. Peaceful living conditions, harmonious industrial relations and strong enforcement of law and order were among its strengths. Shaktikanta Das, State Industries Secretary, spoke about how quick and responsive the administration was in dealing with industrial investment by foreign companies.

M. Rafeeque Ahmed, chairman of the FICCI Tamil Nadu State Council, said the two States could collaborate in several areas including IT, biotechnology, nanotechnology and ship building. David T. Hopper, U.S. Consul General, said the talented and hard-working workforce of Tamil Nadu had much to offer.

P. Murari, adviser to FICCI president, S. Ramasundaram, chairman and managing director of the Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation and Ravindra Sannareddy, CEO of Megasoft, were among those present at the meeting.

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