CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu has become the first port of call for investors, and this has helped the State achieve a Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) growth rate of 11.8%, Finance Minister Thangam Thennarasu said on Tuesday. He credited the investment climate and industrial ecosystem built under the Dravidian model government led by Chief Minister MK Stalin for this performance.

“This double-digit growth is a significant milestone. From 9.69%, we have now reached 11.8%, and are steadily moving closer to 12%,” he said. The Minister noted that Tamil Nadu is currently the only State in the country to record such a high growth rate.

Recalling that the State last saw such growth in 2010–11 under former Chief Minister M Karunanidhi, Mr. Thennarasu said the return to double-digit growth after 14 years demonstrated the effectiveness of Mr. Stalin’s leadership.

He said the government’s focus on attracting investments, job creation, and prudent fiscal management had laid a strong foundation for achieving the target of a $1 trillion economy by 2030.

“Despite constraints from the Union government, Tamil Nadu has shown that with clear policy direction and stable governance, sustained economic growth is possible,” he said.