The Hindu 25.01.2010
Rs.46,091 crore of investments made in State, says Stalin
Staff Reporter
| “Government has signed 25 MoUs in last three years” |
— Photo: S. Siva Saravanan 
Deputy Chief Minister M.K. Stalin having a look at the model of the Hansen plant that was inaugurated in Coimbatore on Sunday.
COIMBATORE: Tamil Nadu has signed 25 Memoranda of Understanding for investment of Rs.46,091 crore in the last three-and-a-half years, Deputy Chief Minister M.K. Stalin said here on Sunday.
Inaugurating the Hansen Drives plant here, he said the State government approved 12 structured packages during this period. This attracted the investment and would provide 2.72 lakh jobs.
In an effort to strengthen industries and support entrepreneurs, the government would soon set up a financial city near Chennai. It was also taking steps to establish an aerospace park. The government was waiting for the Centre’s approval for the single-window system that would simplify procedures for industries to start new units.
The Deputy Chief Minister said the plant he inaugurated here on Sunday would have an investment of Rs.1,500 crore over five years and provide direct employment to 800 people and indirect employment to 200. The plant would manufacture 1,750 units of gearboxes for windmills in the first year. The government would provide several benefits such as assistance for training, capital and infrastructure subsidy.
The State had availability of wind and 1,682 MW was the installed capacity of windmills added in the last three years. This took the total installed capacity of windmills in the State to 4,579 MW. This met eight per cent of the State’s energy needs.
Electricity Minister Arcot N. Veerasamy said all villages in the State had power supply. The State would not have power cut after 2011 because of the efforts taken by the government to generate about 10,000 MW by 2013. Tamil Nadu would be able to sell 2,500 MW power to other States by 2012. It was now buying 1,000 MW at Rs.7 to Rs.10 a unit.
The plant inaugurated on Sunday would make gearboxes for up to three MW wind turbines. The Union government envisaged generation of 25,000 MW solar energy by 2025 and 4,000 MW in another five years. Establishing a solar energy generation plant cost Rs.16 crore for one MW and this would come down in future. He urged the need for focus on solar energy generation.
Minister for Rural Industries and Animal Husbandry Pongalur N. Palanisamy said industries such as Hansen would help in ensuring clean environment.
Rajeev Ranjan, Principal Secretary, Department of Industries, said the unit had come up on 61 acres in the SEZ.
Some of the major initiatives that helped the development of industries in the State were the new industrial policy released in 2007, the MSME policy, online facility to receive industrial entrepreneur memorandum certificate and the launch of industry portal (www. investingintamilnadu.com).
Chief Executive Officer of Hansen Transmissions Ivan Brems said Tamil Nadu had a long coastline to tap wind energy.
