The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Works to develop 20 new industrial estates launched

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Friday, Jul 24, 2009
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Works to develop 20 new industrial estates launched

Special Correspondent

Two more estates will be set up, says SIDCO chief

— Photo: R. Shivaji Rao

Collaboration: Chennai Mayor M. Subramanian with Hans Burkhard Sauerteig, German Consul General in Chennai at the launch of the TANSTIA-FNF Service Centre at Guindy Industrial Estate in Chennai on Thursday. Rene Klaff, regional director, FNF (right), and T. S. Dhanapalan (left), chairman of the service centre, are in the picture.

CHENNAI: The Government has launched work on developing infrastructure at 20 new industrial estates in the State as part of promoting small scale and micro enterprises, D.Rajendran, chairman and managing director, Tamil Nadu Small Industries Development Corporation (SIDCO) said on Thursday.

Addressing a function to mark the launch of a building complex of a facilitation centre in Guindy of the Tamil Nadu Small and Tiny Industries Association (TANSTIA) and German consultancy FNF—the TFSC— Mr.Rajendran said two more estates would be added to the current 78 units this year.

Besides, the establishment of eight units next year, setting up five sites dedicated to micro industries formed part of the Government’s plans, he said.

“If the situation required it, the prospects of having small scale industrial estates on 10-25 acres in each of the 385 blocks could be explored,” Mr.Rajendran said.

Chennai Mayor M.Subramanian said that the Guindy industrial estate was one of the foremost hubs for small enterprises in the country. The facilities were being ramped up at a cost of Rs.30 lakh, he said.

Dheeraj Kumar, Commissioner of Industries, called for addressing the critical gaps in extending necessary support for the SME segment. Noting that SMEs formed the backbone of industrialisation across the world, he made a case for technology up-gradation and capacity building for the sector.

Hans Burkhard Sauerteig, German Consul General in Chennai, said several German industry majors had ambitious plans of investing in India in the next fiscal. The political and business class in Germany was also keen on attracting Indian investment to Germany.

The Consul General called for extending necessary support services to the SMEs, which held huge potential for job generation and played a significant role in industrialisation.

Rene Klaff, regional director, FNF (Friedrich Naumann Stiftung fur die Frieheit) said the support being provided to SMEs in Tamil Nadu reflected the political and institutional support to create a free and open economic environment for the segment.

FNF surveys showed that Tamil Nadu ranked top among Indian States for the second successive year in creating a free economic environment for small industries, he added.

Prasad Madhavan, TFSC director, said the agency would focus more on enabling SMEs to go global and encouraging the cluster approach.

T.S.Dhanapalan, TFSC chairman, P.Selvam, secretary, Department of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises and K.Gopalakrishnan, TANSTIA honorary general secretary spoke.

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