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The Hindu
5 hours ago
- Business
- The Hindu
CM Stalin inaugurates Agile Robots, SOL India facilities with investment of ₹475 crore
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Wednesday inaugurated Agile Robots SE's AI-driven robotics plant at Irungattukottai Sipcot, and SOL India Private Limited's air separation facility at Ranipet Sipcot, at a total investment of ₹475 crore. Agile Robots has invested ₹300 crore in its robotics plant in Irungattukottai. The project has provided 300 jobs for local engineers and technology experts, an official statement said. Mr. Stalin also presented internship letters to six students from various colleges SOL India's air separation facility has been established at an investment of ₹175 crore. SOL had signed Memoranda of Understanding with the State government during the Global Investors Meet (GIM) in 2019 and in 2024 for an investment of ₹100 crore and ₹200 crore, respectively, it added. The ₹175 crore investment includes the commitments made during the GIM. The Chief Minister virtually inaugurated the facilities from the Secretariat. Minister for Industries T.R.B. Rajaa, Chief Secretary N. Muruganandam, Industries Secretary Arun Roy and top officials from Agile Robots and SOL were present.
The Hindu
2 days ago
- Business
- The Hindu
Hidkal Dam water is being sought for upcoming beverages industries in Dharwad, says Minister
Amid opposition to drawing water from Hidkal Dam, Minister for Large and Medium Industries and Infrastructure Development M.B. Patil on Monday clarified that drawing water from the dam is proposed to support upcoming beverages industries at the Belur Industrial Area in Dharwad. Speaking to presspersons in Dharwad on Monday, Mr. Patil said that of the total storage capacity of 51 tmcft of water at the dam, 4 tmcft of water has been earmarked for industrial use. 'Out of this, only 0.5 tmcft has been requested to meet the water requirement of beverages companies that signed Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) during the Global Investors Meet (GIM),' he said. Mr. Patil mentioned that among the key investors, Ceylon Beverages, owned by Sri Lankan cricket legend Muttiah Muralitharan, has already commenced construction of its plant in Dharwad and Campa, owned by Reliance Jio, has also proposed to set up a beverages manufacturing unit in the region. As water is a crucial requirement for the beverages industries and as Dharwad did not have a major river, the proposal to draw water from Hidkal Dam has been considered a practical solution, he said. The Minister expressed the confidence that residents of Belagavi district will understand the importance of industrial development in the region and will not oppose it.
The Hindu
2 days ago
- Automotive
- The Hindu
‘Ideal location, talent pool and govt. support drove VinFast's decision to set up plant in T.N.'
Thoothukudi's strategic location, Tamil Nadu's talent pool, and government support were the key factors behind VinFast's decision to set up its manufacturing plant in the State, VinFast Asia CEO Pham Sanh Chau said. The Vietnamese carmaker is set to begin the production of its VF7 and VF6 models at the Thoothukudi plant in July, while bookings will open in June. During the Global Investors Meet in Chennai last year, VinFast inked an MoU with the Tamil Nadu government for an investment of ₹16,000 crore in multiple phases for manufacturing EVs in Thoothukudi. Speaking to The Hindu in Hanoi recently, Mr. Chau said, 'We visited six States and inspected 15 locations before we decided to select Thoothukudi. Since we want to serve not only the domestic market, but also the external market, we need to be located very close to a seaport and an airport. Thoothukudi satisfies these requirements.' Mr. Chau said Tamil Nadu had an impressive pool of talent. VinFast Vietnam employed a large number of Indian engineers, the majority of whom were from Tamil Nadu, he said, adding that the State was also a hub for suppliers. 'The government of Tamil Nadu has been extremely helpful. Whenever we propose anything, they make the effort and satisfy our requirements. We cannot build a factory in 15 months without the kind, continuous and generous support from the government of Tamil Chief Minister M.K. Stalin himself, his Cabinet, and especially Minister for Industries T.R.B. Rajaa. So, that is why…[though] we were approached by many State governments, we made a final call to invest in Tamil Nadu,' he said. Responding to Mr. Chau's comments, Mr. Rajaa said, 'VinFast's integrated factory in Thoothukudi has laid the foundation for a new green industrial cluster in south Tamil Nadu. Along with the solar cell and green hydrogen projects, this factory will bring renewed economic vigour to the region.' According to him, the VinFast project is creating high-quality jobs for local youth through targeted upskilling under Naan Mudhalvan, while also enabling a thriving MSME ecosystem to support the EV value chain. 'This cluster approach is focused on sustainability and inclusivity. It aims to transform Thoothukudi into a next-generation manufacturing and export hub. With its proximity to the port, the region is set to become a gateway for exports,' he added. According to him, Tamil Nadu's focus remains on equitable industrial development, and VinFast's investment stands as an example of how the government is creating global opportunities across the State, ensuring distributed growth. (The writer was in Hanoi on the invitation of VinFast).
The Hindu
2 days ago
- Business
- The Hindu
55% reservation for Kannadigas in Group A, B jobs, says Minister
Minister for Large and Medium Industries and Infrastructure Development M.B. Patil has said that the under the revised industrial policy, industries will be required to reserve 55% of jobs for Kannadigas in Group A and B categories, while it will be 75% reservation for Group C and D categories. Speaking to presspersons in Dharwad on Monday, Mr. Patil said that industries have accepted these conditions and the State government has set its eyes on creating more employment opportunities for local residents. Stating that the recent Global Investors Meet (GIM) resulted in investment proposals worth ₹10 lakh crore, the Minister said that they are expecting that at least 70% of the proposals will materialise. The Minister said that in line with the Beyond Bengaluru initiative of developing tier-2 and tier-3 cities, 75% of the proposals are directed towards seeking land outside Bengaluru with 40% of them targeted for North Karnataka. To a query regarding the FMCG cluster in Hubballi-Dharwad which is in a limbo, the Minister admitted that there is a rise in land prices and clarified that the government has no direct control over it. Mr. Patil said that several farmers whose land are identified for acquisition have approached courts seeking higher compensation and based on court rulings, the Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board (KIADB) has finalised compensation rates. He, however, clarified that despite the challenges, the department is in regular touch with FMCG companies. Highlighting the establishment of NIDAC's plant at Belur Industrial Area in Dharwad built at an estimated cost of ₹600 crore, Mr. Patil said that the plant is expected to generate 800 direct and 900 indirect jobs. He also said that the company has expansion plans and has set a target of creating over 4,000 jobs in the next two years.
The Hindu
3 days ago
- Business
- The Hindu
Chamber appeals to CM to hold next Global Investors Meet in Madurai
The Tamil Nadu government should conduct its next Global Investors Meet (GIM) in Madurai as it would attract international investors to bring investments to southern districts of Tamil Nadu, said Tamil Nadu Chamber of Commerce and Industry president N. Jagatheesan. In a memorandum submitted to Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, who was in the city, a delegation led by him suggested to conduct the GIM conclave in Madurai. A copy of the memorandum, which was released to the media persons on Sunday, said that the GIM was held with the aim of bringing together international investors, industry leaders, government representatives and experts on a common platform. While Tamil Nadu is considered one of the leading manufacturing States in the country, industrial growth has not been evenly distributed across the State. Compared to the northern and western districts of Tamil Nadu, industrial and economic development in the southern region remains significantly underdeveloped. With a population of 2.5 crore, south Tamil Nadu - comprising Madurai and 13 other districts - stands to benefit greatly from the establishment of major industries. This would, in turn, create local employment opportunities, especially for the students graduating from more than 170 engineering colleges in this region. To help catalyze this growth, the government should organise the upcoming GIM in Madurai. With increasing issues such as population growth and traffic congestion in Chennai, the Tamil Nadu Chamber of Commerce and Industry emphasised the urgent need to establish Madurai as the second capital. Currently, all government heads of departments are in Chennai. Even to start a small business, entrepreneurs have to travel to Chennai, meet the officials and obtain necessary approvals. Kanyakumari is about 800 km away from Chennai, causing significant costs and time delays. Due to these difficulties, many entrepreneurs find it hard to start even small and micro-enterprises in the southern districts, resulting in the region lagging behind in industrial development. Other States such as Karnataka, Maharashtra, Uttarakhand, and Himachal Pradesh have officially declared second capitals and are operating them effectively. Andhra Pradesh has made an announcement to set up three capitals, and in Kerala, several high-level government offices and the Kerala High Court function in Ernakulam. Therefore, it has become necessary and essential to declare Madurai as the second capital of Tamil Nadu. This will enable more efficient administration. Currently, about 42 government departments and 75 commissioner/director offices operate in Chennai. If Madurai is declared the second capital and a significant number of offices are relocated here, it would open up substantial opportunities for the development and prosperity of South Tamil Nadu. The airport runway rehabilitation project has been successfully implemented at Varanasi, New Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport, Mumbai Terminal 2 and Chandigarh International Airport. In all these airports, while runway expansion work is under way, the underpass work in national highway has been carried out efficiently by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI). However, the national highway adjacent to Madurai airport is currently maintained by the State Highways Department, under TNRIDC, which is part of the State government. Considering the high cost of constructing underpass, the TNRIDC has proposed to reroute the current highway by about excess 7 km as an alternative bypass. This rerouting means that buses servicing hundreds of villages located south of the airport would have to travel an additional 7 km each way. This results in increased fuel consumption, travel time, and higher transportation costs for the public commuting from the southern region to the city. The added travel distance will also increase the operational expenses of the government transport department by crores of rupees every month due to delays and fuel costs. If the bypass road is developed and traffic rerouted accordingly, it may take at least 7 more years for the runway expansion work to begin, significantly increasing the project cost and timeline, the delegation said.
