CM Stalin leaves on Europe tour; lists investment, jobs fetched by earlier trips

CHENNAI: Embarking on yet another foreign trip to woo investors to Tamil Nadu, this time to Germany and the UK, Chief Minister MK Stalin listed out the MoUs signed, investments realised, and the jobs that they created during his previous official tours.

The comments came in response to AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami’s criticism that Stalin’s foreign trips are useless.

Speaking to the media at Chennai airport before leaving for the week-long trip on Saturday, Stalin said Palaniswami seems to have made the mistake of thinking these trips are like the ones that he undertook during his stint as the chief minister. “But unlike that, the agreements I am signing are all being implemented, and have already begun to take effect."

Listing out his foreign tours, Stalin said he has so far travelled to the UAE, Japan, Spain, Singapore, and the United States. During the US visit, 19 memoranda of understanding (MoUs) were signed. Seven MoUs were signed in Japan, six in the UAE, three in Spain, and one in Singapore, he said.

Altogether, 36 MoUs were signed, bringing in investments worth Rs 18,498 crore to Tamil Nadu and generating employment for 30,037 people. Of these, 23 projects were already at various stages of implementation. “In continuation of this, I am now travelling to Germany and the United Kingdom,” he added.

"I must also highlight a very special occasion: On September 4, during the 'Self-Respect Movement Centenary Conference' at Oxford University, I will have the privilege of unveiling the portrait of the great rationalist, Thanthai Periyar. This will indeed be a historic event," he said.