TN to unveil electronic hardware manufacturing and Farmer Producer Organisation policies shortly

The new policy was in line with the food processing policy unveiled by the government recently, he said, while presenting the budget for 2019-20.

Presenting the budget for the year 2019-20, Panneerselvam, who holds the finance ministry portfolio, said an Information Communication Technology Policy 2018 was already unveiled by Chief Minister K Palaniswami.

"The Tamil Nadu Farmer Producer Organisation Policy is proposed to be unveiled shortly and will strengthen the promotion of agro-processing industries," he said.

Panneerselvam said the government would set up a Centre of Excellence for Emerging Technologies under TNeGA (Tamil Nadu e-Governance Agency) to harness artificial intelligence, machine learning, block chain, big data and Internet of Things.

Works for setting up 10 Food Processing Parks across Tamil Nadu were "in progress", he said, adding "..private investors are also keen to invest in the agro-processing sector."

For the year 2017-18, he said, total software exports from Tamil Nadu was at Rs 1,11,179 crore.

Panneerselvam said the government has accorded approval to extend Tamil Nadu State Wide Area Network Phase-II operations and to integrate it with TAMILNET at a cost of Rs 443.64 crore.

He said the government was in the process of implementing BharatNet through Tamil Nadu Fibernet Corporation which would connect village panchayats through optic fibre "A French company has signed a memorandum of understanding to invest Rs 2,000 crore to set up an integrated food processing park near Chennai," he said.

The government would continue to promote setting up of mega agro-processing parks to generate more non-farm employment opportunities for people who are living in rural areas, he said.