As they say “Three ponds were dug with the tip of a thorn; of which two ponds were ruin and water did not come in one”, similarly the Global Investors Meet convened by Jayalalitha ended like writing sugar on a paper and applying on the tongue. Still, hiding the shame Jayalalitha has announced that Rs. 2.40 lakh crore has been obtained for Tamil Nadu. The figures of the Industrial Policy and Development department of the Centre inform that the direct investment received totally for many States together in the last one year through the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to 26 nations was only Rs. 1,89,000 crore. But the wonder of Chief Minister Jayalalitha heaping investment of Rs. 2.40 lakh crore in just a two-day conference from the place of her seating is like the story of mango dropping in magic!
But had Jayalalitha convened this meet four years back by this time all these industries would have been started and milk and honey would have been flowing in the roads of Tamil Nadu; why that golden opportunity was slipped could not be understood!
Jayalalitha has announced that the procedure for starting industry in TN has been simplified and approval would be given in just one month. But in the symposium held there industrialist Dhananjeyan of Ariyalur district boldly stood up and entered into an argument with the Minister that ‘he submitted proper documents for starting industry to the District Collector and officers concerned during the last two years but so far approval was not given”.
Some paragraphs of the article written in today’s ‘Junior Vikatan’ about this meet:-
“Andhra and Karnataka competing with each other conducted meetings in TN and inviting investors offering land at low costs and tax concessions. Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah came to Coimbatore and extended invitation for starting industry in Karnataka. Hence, investors of TN invested about Rs.12,000 crore in the Industrial Park over 1,595 acre area established in Chamaraj Nagar in Karnataka. Similarly Andhra Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu also invited TN investors. Only after all these happened suddenly it struck to TN government.
Had the rulers, who make so much planning for Jayalalitha’s participation, carried out matters for attracting investors in the beginning itself that would have become history. What would they achieve by conducting the meet in the short period when the 2016 Assembly elections are only a few months away?
There is no chance in TN to meet and discuss with the Chief Minister for starting industry. The Chief Ministers of other States personally go to many States and countries and mobilize investments. But Jayalalitha does not meet even industrialists coming to Chennai and want to meet her.
Jayalalitha released ‘Vision 2023’ farsighted plan claiming to take TN on the path of development. But, actions to achieve the target remain hampered. It was announced in ‘Vision 2023’ that infrastructural facilities at the cost of Rs.15 lakh crore would be created, for which Rs. 4.09 lakh crore should have been spent. But not even Rs 4,000 crore has been allocated. Similarly, though it was announced that ’20,000 MW thermal electricity projects would be set up’, that target was not reached. Vision 2023 announcements of triangular 6 lane and 8 lane roads between Chnegleput- Tuticorin, Tuticorin-Coimbatore and Coimbatore-Chengleput at a cost of Rs.24,000 crore, railway line development at a cost of Rs.1.88 lakh crore in association with the Centre, Rs.25,000 crore airport expansion plan, industrial projects at a cost of Rs.1,60,985 crore and new houses for slum dwellers in urban areas at a cost of Rs.25,000 crore have all become mirages.
It was those who discredited Metro Rail issuing pages of statements stating that Mono Rail was the best alternative to Metro Rail claimed credit for Metro Rail project. They said mono rail project would also be brought for Madurai, Coimbatore and Tiruchy. But all are only fireworks.
The Centre brought Maduravoyal-Chennai port elevated expressway project to easily send cars from car manufacturing factories to Chennai port from Maduravoyal, but that has been hampered by the TN government”.
What is the reply of these rulers for all these written by ‘Junior Vikatan’?
The Chief Minister has said that special concessions would be offered if industries were started in southern districts. During the DMK rules itself, a committee led by former Supreme Court judge Justice Rethinavel Pandian was constituted for industrial development in southern districts and for implementing progressive schemes for the benefit of people living in those areas, and many initiatives based on the recommendations of the committee were taken. Due to the efforts of the then Union Minister Murasoli Maran it was planned to establish a huge Special Economic Park at Nanguneri and foundation stone was laid for it. In the regime that came thereafter, the works for implementing the project were not done properly.
Now I want to tell how this department functioned in DMK rule.
On 8.11.2006, a Special Task Force consisting of the representatives of federations of industry and commerce headed by the Chief Minister was constituted to help industrial and commercial development of the State. For the first time in India, an exclusive policy for micro, small and medium industries (MSMI) policy was formulated in 2008 with the objectives of increasing the competitiveness of micro, small and medium industries in State and gradually upgrading their functional efficiency, to encourage agro industries for farmers to get additional income and fixing the annual growth rate of micro, small and medium industries for over 10 percent.
Before preparing the demand for grants for Industries department for the year 2009-10, the then Deputy Chief Minister M.K.Stalin convened the meeting of the federation of entrepreneurs of micro, small and medium and large industries on 13.6.2009 at the secretariat and had consultations for actions to be taken for the industrial development of the State. Thereafter, such meetings were held in Tirunelveli, Coimbatore, Tiruchy and Erode. The Central Statistical Organisation released the annual report on industries in 2008-09 according to which it was stated that Tamil Nadu stood first in India in the number of industrial units with 26,122 industrial units and first in number of workers employed in industries with 17,74,019 workers, third in ‘total investments’, in ‘gross industrial production’ and ‘net value addition’ industries.
The business daily ‘Wall Street Journal’ in its issue on July 8,2010 praised the works of TN government saying, ‘TN works better than other States in India in supplying lands, roads and electricity required for vehicle manufacturing industries. Moreover it is issuing approvals of over 12 government departments at one place under single window system’.
As a result of the encouragement given for industrial development by formulating a new industrial policy after the DMK rule was formed in 2006, industrial friendly transparent approach with industrial investors and industrial infrastructure developed up to international standards, total investments increased by about four times in five years by Rs. 5,73,765.64 crore to Rs.7,65,557.92 crores in December 2010, and a silent revolution took place in industrial development.
When Central Coir Board vice-chairman Dr.K. Raya met reporters a few months back, he had said that the Union Small, Micro and Medium Industry through Central Coir Board has a plan to set up a coir industrial park in TN with an investment of Rs.100 crore with the financial assistance of Central and State governments. The Centre was ready to provide Rs.70 crores and the State government had to provide only Rs.10 crore. If Rs.20 crore was provided through Khadi and Gram Sarvodaya Sangh this park would be established over 200 acre at Vazhdhareddy village in Villupuram district. But Tamil Nadu government so far had not granted approval for setting up the park. Despite attempts to meet TN Rural Industries Minister Mohan in the last two months he could not meet. Even the President of India could be met easily and take photographs. But Tamil Nadu Minister could not be met by even a Central government officer like him. Every year Rs.500 crore worth coconut fibre and pith blocks were burnt and wasted, he charged. (The Coir Park would have coir fiber extraction unit, coir pith blocks, rubberised coir pad, production of bonded coir ply, coir yarn on traditional ratts, curled coir unit from decorticated coir fiber, production of corridor mat, production of coir matting (semi-automatic loom), setting up of PVC/Latex tuffed coir mat, manufacture of export quality coir yarn using multi-spindle automatic unit and coir dolls and furniture.)
Whether they start new industries in our State or not, profitablyt running industries like Nokia and Foxconn run away leaving workers stranded on roads, but the rulers are indifferent. They are least bothered about thousands of workers losing jobs. Why, still there are no reports of firms which entered into agreement with TN government for starting their units having started them.
The Central Statistical Organisation released its review report on industries in 2009-09, according to which,
v There are 26,122 industrial units in Tamil Nadu, by which the State stands first in India in the number of industrial units.
v Tamil Nadu also stands first in the number of workers employed in these industries; 17,74,019 workers are employed in industries.
v Tamil Nadu ranks third in ‘total investments’
v Tamil Nadu ranks third in ‘total industrial production’.
v Further, Tamil Nadu stands third in the order of ‘net value adding’ industries
The ‘Assocham’ in its ‘Bizcon’ report referred to Tamil Nadu being one of the three best States in India in successfully wooing investments by stating that ‘Tamil Nadu, being the biggest State in India in the manufacture and export of vehicles is also one among the top most 10 principal centres in the world in the manufacture of vehicles’. This was possible due to the integrated huge vehicle project policy announced by the DMK government.
In an exclusive interview given to a daily on 4.2.2014, the then Union Minister Sudarsana Nachiappan pointed out how the TN government was disinterested in industrial development by stating that TN government was not evincing interest in implementing a mega industrial development scheme by the Union Industries department for Tamil Nadu for which the Centre would provide 90 percent of the investment as loan. I had sought the response of Chief Minister Jayalalitha for this then, did she or the Minister of the department reply?
During DMK rule number of women employed in industries was 4,93,000 but now in ADMK regime it has come down to 3,78,000, thus the number of women who lost jobs is 1,15,000. Is lakhs of women losing jobs the sign for industrial development?
Subramanian Swamy himself has said about industrial development in TN, “There is no industrial development and economic progress. I understand that Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has attracted industrialists here to his State. Why TN government did not take any effort to retain the investment that went to Karnataka? As there is severe power shortage and non-cooperation of government officials in all stages, nobody from other States come forward to invest in TN. The situation of expecting TN to emerge as the principal State in the country in information technology sector has changed. The reason is the State government administration is not proper”. What is the use in Chief Minister Jayalalitha getting angry with us?
They have made big issue of Sun Edison of the US coming forward to invest Rs.12,000 crore and Adani group announcing Rs.15,000 crore investment in the just concluded GIM. But ‘Nakkeeran’ biweekly has reported that the representative of a Chinese company said that they ‘wanted invest Rs.15,000 crore in the same sector in which these two firms invested, but the Jayalalitha regime drove us away coming to offer power to TN on golden plate’. When a reporter of the magazine enquired an officer about the MoUs signed in the meet, he has said, ‘in the last four and a half years MoUs were signed for Rs.60,620 crores but could get investment of only Rs.43,000 crores. Will the present announcement of investment of Rs.2,42,000 crore become like the 110 announcements read out by the Chief Minister in the Assembly?”
Reading such reports, only the saying I cited in the beginning “Three ponds were dug with the tip of a thorn; of which two ponds were ruin and water did not come in one” comes to mind again.
Affectionately,
M.K.
But had Jayalalitha convened this meet four years back by this time all these industries would have been started and milk and honey would have been flowing in the roads of Tamil Nadu; why that golden opportunity was slipped could not be understood!
Jayalalitha has announced that the procedure for starting industry in TN has been simplified and approval would be given in just one month. But in the symposium held there industrialist Dhananjeyan of Ariyalur district boldly stood up and entered into an argument with the Minister that ‘he submitted proper documents for starting industry to the District Collector and officers concerned during the last two years but so far approval was not given”.
Some paragraphs of the article written in today’s ‘Junior Vikatan’ about this meet:-
“Andhra and Karnataka competing with each other conducted meetings in TN and inviting investors offering land at low costs and tax concessions. Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah came to Coimbatore and extended invitation for starting industry in Karnataka. Hence, investors of TN invested about Rs.12,000 crore in the Industrial Park over 1,595 acre area established in Chamaraj Nagar in Karnataka. Similarly Andhra Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu also invited TN investors. Only after all these happened suddenly it struck to TN government.
Had the rulers, who make so much planning for Jayalalitha’s participation, carried out matters for attracting investors in the beginning itself that would have become history. What would they achieve by conducting the meet in the short period when the 2016 Assembly elections are only a few months away?
There is no chance in TN to meet and discuss with the Chief Minister for starting industry. The Chief Ministers of other States personally go to many States and countries and mobilize investments. But Jayalalitha does not meet even industrialists coming to Chennai and want to meet her.
Jayalalitha released ‘Vision 2023’ farsighted plan claiming to take TN on the path of development. But, actions to achieve the target remain hampered. It was announced in ‘Vision 2023’ that infrastructural facilities at the cost of Rs.15 lakh crore would be created, for which Rs. 4.09 lakh crore should have been spent. But not even Rs 4,000 crore has been allocated. Similarly, though it was announced that ’20,000 MW thermal electricity projects would be set up’, that target was not reached. Vision 2023 announcements of triangular 6 lane and 8 lane roads between Chnegleput- Tuticorin, Tuticorin-Coimbatore and Coimbatore-Chengleput at a cost of Rs.24,000 crore, railway line development at a cost of Rs.1.88 lakh crore in association with the Centre, Rs.25,000 crore airport expansion plan, industrial projects at a cost of Rs.1,60,985 crore and new houses for slum dwellers in urban areas at a cost of Rs.25,000 crore have all become mirages.
It was those who discredited Metro Rail issuing pages of statements stating that Mono Rail was the best alternative to Metro Rail claimed credit for Metro Rail project. They said mono rail project would also be brought for Madurai, Coimbatore and Tiruchy. But all are only fireworks.
The Centre brought Maduravoyal-Chennai port elevated expressway project to easily send cars from car manufacturing factories to Chennai port from Maduravoyal, but that has been hampered by the TN government”.
What is the reply of these rulers for all these written by ‘Junior Vikatan’?
The Chief Minister has said that special concessions would be offered if industries were started in southern districts. During the DMK rules itself, a committee led by former Supreme Court judge Justice Rethinavel Pandian was constituted for industrial development in southern districts and for implementing progressive schemes for the benefit of people living in those areas, and many initiatives based on the recommendations of the committee were taken. Due to the efforts of the then Union Minister Murasoli Maran it was planned to establish a huge Special Economic Park at Nanguneri and foundation stone was laid for it. In the regime that came thereafter, the works for implementing the project were not done properly.
Now I want to tell how this department functioned in DMK rule.
On 8.11.2006, a Special Task Force consisting of the representatives of federations of industry and commerce headed by the Chief Minister was constituted to help industrial and commercial development of the State. For the first time in India, an exclusive policy for micro, small and medium industries (MSMI) policy was formulated in 2008 with the objectives of increasing the competitiveness of micro, small and medium industries in State and gradually upgrading their functional efficiency, to encourage agro industries for farmers to get additional income and fixing the annual growth rate of micro, small and medium industries for over 10 percent.
Before preparing the demand for grants for Industries department for the year 2009-10, the then Deputy Chief Minister M.K.Stalin convened the meeting of the federation of entrepreneurs of micro, small and medium and large industries on 13.6.2009 at the secretariat and had consultations for actions to be taken for the industrial development of the State. Thereafter, such meetings were held in Tirunelveli, Coimbatore, Tiruchy and Erode. The Central Statistical Organisation released the annual report on industries in 2008-09 according to which it was stated that Tamil Nadu stood first in India in the number of industrial units with 26,122 industrial units and first in number of workers employed in industries with 17,74,019 workers, third in ‘total investments’, in ‘gross industrial production’ and ‘net value addition’ industries.
The business daily ‘Wall Street Journal’ in its issue on July 8,2010 praised the works of TN government saying, ‘TN works better than other States in India in supplying lands, roads and electricity required for vehicle manufacturing industries. Moreover it is issuing approvals of over 12 government departments at one place under single window system’.
As a result of the encouragement given for industrial development by formulating a new industrial policy after the DMK rule was formed in 2006, industrial friendly transparent approach with industrial investors and industrial infrastructure developed up to international standards, total investments increased by about four times in five years by Rs. 5,73,765.64 crore to Rs.7,65,557.92 crores in December 2010, and a silent revolution took place in industrial development.
When Central Coir Board vice-chairman Dr.K. Raya met reporters a few months back, he had said that the Union Small, Micro and Medium Industry through Central Coir Board has a plan to set up a coir industrial park in TN with an investment of Rs.100 crore with the financial assistance of Central and State governments. The Centre was ready to provide Rs.70 crores and the State government had to provide only Rs.10 crore. If Rs.20 crore was provided through Khadi and Gram Sarvodaya Sangh this park would be established over 200 acre at Vazhdhareddy village in Villupuram district. But Tamil Nadu government so far had not granted approval for setting up the park. Despite attempts to meet TN Rural Industries Minister Mohan in the last two months he could not meet. Even the President of India could be met easily and take photographs. But Tamil Nadu Minister could not be met by even a Central government officer like him. Every year Rs.500 crore worth coconut fibre and pith blocks were burnt and wasted, he charged. (The Coir Park would have coir fiber extraction unit, coir pith blocks, rubberised coir pad, production of bonded coir ply, coir yarn on traditional ratts, curled coir unit from decorticated coir fiber, production of corridor mat, production of coir matting (semi-automatic loom), setting up of PVC/Latex tuffed coir mat, manufacture of export quality coir yarn using multi-spindle automatic unit and coir dolls and furniture.)
Whether they start new industries in our State or not, profitablyt running industries like Nokia and Foxconn run away leaving workers stranded on roads, but the rulers are indifferent. They are least bothered about thousands of workers losing jobs. Why, still there are no reports of firms which entered into agreement with TN government for starting their units having started them.
The Central Statistical Organisation released its review report on industries in 2009-09, according to which,
v There are 26,122 industrial units in Tamil Nadu, by which the State stands first in India in the number of industrial units.
v Tamil Nadu also stands first in the number of workers employed in these industries; 17,74,019 workers are employed in industries.
v Tamil Nadu ranks third in ‘total investments’
v Tamil Nadu ranks third in ‘total industrial production’.
v Further, Tamil Nadu stands third in the order of ‘net value adding’ industries
The ‘Assocham’ in its ‘Bizcon’ report referred to Tamil Nadu being one of the three best States in India in successfully wooing investments by stating that ‘Tamil Nadu, being the biggest State in India in the manufacture and export of vehicles is also one among the top most 10 principal centres in the world in the manufacture of vehicles’. This was possible due to the integrated huge vehicle project policy announced by the DMK government.
In an exclusive interview given to a daily on 4.2.2014, the then Union Minister Sudarsana Nachiappan pointed out how the TN government was disinterested in industrial development by stating that TN government was not evincing interest in implementing a mega industrial development scheme by the Union Industries department for Tamil Nadu for which the Centre would provide 90 percent of the investment as loan. I had sought the response of Chief Minister Jayalalitha for this then, did she or the Minister of the department reply?
During DMK rule number of women employed in industries was 4,93,000 but now in ADMK regime it has come down to 3,78,000, thus the number of women who lost jobs is 1,15,000. Is lakhs of women losing jobs the sign for industrial development?
Subramanian Swamy himself has said about industrial development in TN, “There is no industrial development and economic progress. I understand that Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has attracted industrialists here to his State. Why TN government did not take any effort to retain the investment that went to Karnataka? As there is severe power shortage and non-cooperation of government officials in all stages, nobody from other States come forward to invest in TN. The situation of expecting TN to emerge as the principal State in the country in information technology sector has changed. The reason is the State government administration is not proper”. What is the use in Chief Minister Jayalalitha getting angry with us?
They have made big issue of Sun Edison of the US coming forward to invest Rs.12,000 crore and Adani group announcing Rs.15,000 crore investment in the just concluded GIM. But ‘Nakkeeran’ biweekly has reported that the representative of a Chinese company said that they ‘wanted invest Rs.15,000 crore in the same sector in which these two firms invested, but the Jayalalitha regime drove us away coming to offer power to TN on golden plate’. When a reporter of the magazine enquired an officer about the MoUs signed in the meet, he has said, ‘in the last four and a half years MoUs were signed for Rs.60,620 crores but could get investment of only Rs.43,000 crores. Will the present announcement of investment of Rs.2,42,000 crore become like the 110 announcements read out by the Chief Minister in the Assembly?”
Reading such reports, only the saying I cited in the beginning “Three ponds were dug with the tip of a thorn; of which two ponds were ruin and water did not come in one” comes to mind again.
Affectionately,
M.K.
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