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Australian Consul-General visits Puducherry to woo entrepreneurs

Special Correspondent

Discusses with Chief Minister vital areas where collaboration can be explored

— Photo: T. Singaravelou

LOOKING FOR TIE-UP: Consul-General and Trade Commissioner of Australia for South India Aminur Rahman presenting a brochure to Puducherry Chief Minister N. Rangasamy on Monday.

Puducherry : Consul-General and Trade Commissioner of Australia for South India Aminur Rahman, accompanied by Australian Business Development Manager Gitesh Agarwal, called on Chief Minister N. Rangasamy in the Cabinet room here on Monday and discussed with him the areas in which collaborative efforts could be made in the Union Territory.

Mr. Aminur Rahman, who was on his first visit to Puducherry after taking charge some four months ago as Consul-General in Chennai, told Mr. Rangasamy that the purpose of his visit was to have a feel of industrial development strategies and tourism and educational activities in Puducherry. Tourism, hospitality, education, and textile sector are some vital areas in which Australia could make its contributions under joint venture with entrepreneurs from the Union Territory.

With textile industry having a good base in Puducherry and with education also having made rapid strides, there could be enlarged activities, Mr. Aminur Rahman noted.

Mr. Rangasamy told the Consul-General that the Government had drawn up plans to set up a Special Economic Zone on an extent of around 700 acres and a fashion city could be set up there. It would be an integrated approach for development of textile units and also allied projects.

Seminars planned

Earlier talking to reporters, the Consul-General said that there was a proposal to hold seminars in metropolitan cities in the southern part of the country and in Puducherry from June 11 to create awareness among the entrepreneurs of opportunities available for joint ventures with Australia-based companies. With the reported plan of the Puducherry Government to expand the runway in the airport here, there was good scope for promotion of tourism, he remarked.

Wooing students from Puduchery, Mr. Aminur Rahman said that 39,000 students from various parts of India were doing courses in different disciplines in Australia.

He said he would meet the Lt. Governor Mukut Mithi later and have a discussion on various sectors where Australia could play its role in Puducherry. He would also interact with office-bearers of the Confederation of Indian Industry at a meeting here on Tuesday.

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