IT, cellphone firms keen to invest in Pondy: Chief Minister V Narayanasamy

Talking to reporters after the meeting on Tuesday, Narayanasamy said that as many as 15 entrepreneurs took part in the meeting and gave a plan to invest five billion dollars. He said officials from NITI Aayog, Department of Industries and Commerce and Pondicherry Industrial Promotion Development and Investment Corporation (PIPDIC) participated in the meeting and cleared their doubts on the prevailing industrial climate here.

The Chief Minster said as far as Puducherry is concerned it want non-polluting industries here .There are several engineering colleges here and the engineering graduates from these colleges should get jobs here in the IT and electronic industries. Industries, including those from foreign countries, had shown interest and submitted a plan starting that they are ready to start industries subject to the provision of land, permission, uninterrupted power supply and skilled laborers forthwith. The Chief Minister said that they would invest five billion dollars and fifty thousand would get employment opportunities. The administration will take steps to fulfill their demands and added that the officials gave assurance in this regard.

On the second day as many as 30 companies manufacturing computers, computer accessories and mobile phones attended the meet.

They wanted to make Puducherry an Electronic hub, he said adding that adequate land for the industries is available at Karasur and Saiderapet. Mainly women will get job in these industries, he added.

The Chief Minister said that such a meeting is being held after several years and the entrepreneurs were attracted by the peaceful environment, and availability of skilled laborers and put faith on the government. Many more would come forward to invest in Puducherry, he added. He said they sought some additional tax benefits apart from those announced in the industrial policy here. This would be discussed and sorted out, he added. Denying rowdy menace in industrial areas, the Chief Minister said that of the 12 lakh population, one lakh laborers are peacefully working in Industrial estates.

Chief Minister V Narayanasamy on Tuesday said that the administration is giving utmost priority to ensure the security of women. Inaugurating a one day inter-sectoral consultation meeting on ‘Beti Bachao Beti Padhao’ scheme to the middle level officers of the territorial administration, the Chief Minister said that sex criminals are being punished forthwith and added that as many as 23 criminals were arrested under the Goondas Act. The Chief Minister said the ratio in the Union Territory is 1,050 women against 1,000 men. This itself indicates the security enjoyed by women in the union territory, he added. Puducherry Welfare Minister M Kandasmay participated in the meeting.