Cuddalore - 2,000MW (UDI Infrastructure) + 1,000MW (Mumbai company)
Nagapatinam - 2,000MW (Tridem) + (Hyderabad/Chennai based company)
Tuticorin - 1,000MW Coastal Gen
Manappadu near Tuticorin - 1,000MW (Free City) + ???MW (Hyderabad/Chennai based company)
Marakanam - ????MW (Chennai Company)+???MW (Hyderabad company)

Total Capacity : 16,140 MW

Chennai based company ???? who???? May God supply uniterrupted power to throw more light on this.

^^

May be BGR systems(former GEA), they are based in Chennai!

Cuddalore - 2,000MW (UDI Infrastructure) + 1,000MW (Mumbai company)
Nagapatinam - 2,000MW (Tridem) + (Hyderabad/Chennai based company)
Tuticorin - 1,000MW Coastal Gen
Manappadu near Tuticorin - 1,000MW (Free City) + ???MW (Hyderabad/Chennai based company)
Marakanam - ????MW (Chennai Company)+???MW (Hyderabad company)

Total Capacity : 16,140 MW

Kundagulam Project+Kalpakkam Extension??
:ohno:

6 Industrial complex coming up in Chennai-Hosur(Krishnagiri) NH.

1. 10000 acres of land identified
2. More industrial towns will be made in TN
3. The required lands for this purpose will be arranged by land bank as mentioned in TN industrial policy.
4. Panpakkam(near Arrakonam), Iyyapedu(near Wallaja), Ranipet, Vellore, Ketheynampet(near Jolarpet) and Sulagiri(near Krishnagiri) are the locations for these industrial complexes.
5. Till now 5000 acres of land in Sulagiri, Panapakkam 2500 acres, Iyyapedu 2000 acres and 1000 acers each in Ketheynampet and Vellore has been identified so far!

http://www.dinakaran.co.in/epaperdinakaran/showxml.aspx?id=214656&code=16703

^^

Do any one know what type of industries are coming up in these industrial complexes??

7000 mini buses to run across the state

This mini bus scheme was introduced in 1997 to connect each and every villages of TN with near by towns and cities. This was a boon to villagers and students in the village. This was implemented in state with private bus operators and it had a good welcome among the people. These buses will run upto maximum of 24KMs from the city/town to village. This scheme was not fully expanded because of government change. Now again present TN government decided to implement it and orders have been passed to respective district collectors regarding this!! Each district will have 250 mini bus operation permit, this excludes Krishnagiri and Chennai!!

http://www.dinamalar.com/2007dec31/specialnewsU.asp?newsid=1

500 A/c buses for the city from tomorrow

Chennai city will get 500 Air-conditioned buses on its roads starting tomorrow. The rest of the state will get 500 buses.

SETC gets 50 new Ultra deluxe buses, out of which 7 will be Air-conditioned. Rest of the TNSTC divisions will get a total of 450 new buses.

http://www.dailythanthi.com/thanthiepaper/showxml.aspx?id=5152748&code=3708

^^

Vijayan i doubt!!

In news it is mentioned that total no. of 1000 buses!

1. 500 to MTC - 100 semi floor buses and 400 ordinary buses
2. 50 to SETC - 7 AC UD buses and 43 ordinary UD
3. 450 to other divisions!!

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

In first phase i think AC UD buses will run in these sectors:

1. Chennai-Trichy - 2 buses
2. Chennai-Madurai - 2 buses
3. Chennai-Bangalore - 2 buses
4. Chennai-Tirupathy - 1 bus

I think Salem, Coimbatore, Kumbakonam and Tirunelveli will not get AC UD buses now!!

The Union Minister of Shipping, Road Transport and Highways, Thiru T.R. Baalu reviewed here today the progress of projects being implemented by National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) in the state of Tamil Nadu. There are 31 projects costing Rs. 9650 crore presently in progress covering a length of 1788 km. The projects are in the Hosur-Kaniakumari section of North South corridors, between Tindivanam and Trichy, Trichy and Didigul, Trichy and Madurai, Karur and Coimbatore, Coimbator and Mettupalayam, Salem and Kerala border. In addition other four laning projects between Madurai and Tuticorin, Pondichery and Tindivanam, Thanjavur and Trichy, Trichy and Karur, and Salem and Ulundurpet have also been undertaken. In and around Chennai city two projects, viz. Chennai bypass and improvement of access to Golden Quadrilateral by providing free flow facilities are also under construction.

Of the 31 projects, 16 projects are expected to be completed during the calendar year 2008. Two of these 16 projects are expected to be completed by July 2008 (Thumipadi-Salem and Lalapet ROB), 3 (on North South corridor) by November 2008 and 11 (6 on North South corridor, 4 between Trichy and Madurai and 1 in Chennai city) by December 2008. The remaining 15 projects are likely to spill over to calendar year 2009, of which 6 will be completed during the first quarter itself. The remaining 9 projects will spill beyond March 2009.

The Minister impressed upon NHAI officials and the Consultants supervising the projects to monitor the projects very closely and ensure that not only the projects are completed as per the targets fixed in the review, but sincere efforts are made by the contractors to complete the projects ahead of schedule.

The Minister noted that the projects suffered some setbacks on account of heavy rains causing the quarries becoming inaccessible and the efforts being concentrated on restoration work rather than the main work. The works in Chennai city projects which were in critical stage suffered badly due to rains as well as certain unforeseen circumstances like emergence of certain leaking pipelines. Now that the rains are over, he urged all concerned to take up the work in the right earnest.

http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=34347

State to go ahead with Sethu project after court verdict

NEW DELHI: Union Minister of Shipping, Road Transport and Highways T. R. Baalu said here on Wednesday that the Government would go ahead with the Sethusamudram canal project after the Supreme Court’s verdict on issues pending before it.

He told reporters that the project was “progressing,” but refused to comment on RSS chief K. Sudershan’s observations that it was unviable and being implemented by the Government because of DMK pressure.....

http://www.hindu.com/2008/01/03/stories/2008010353740400.htm

Company identified to provide Government to Citizen services.. 3 i Infotech..

http://www.hindu.com/2008/01/04/stories/2008010460330600.htm

I don't know if this is the right forum to ask this question, but i will anyways, as it is related to the economy and moving goods and services!.My question is...why are the roads in Chennai city in such a bad condition and why doesn't the public demand that the city authorities repair or atleast patch up the roads?.I'm dismayed at the conditon of the roads and the total apathy of the authorities. I'm a big fan of this city, and i am disappointed.

IT corridor is being laid at a cost of Rs 4 crores per Kilometre of road. National Highways spend Rs 10-12 crores per KM of highway construction. The cost jumps to Rs 30 crores per KM for ORR at Hyderabad (elevated). So quality of construction comes at a cost.

Corporation spends a peanut, in comparision to top up all roads running to thousands of KMs. If you have a bulging purse, the quality will be visible.The difference between Sony and Akai...

IT corridor is being laid at a cost of Rs 4 crores per Kilometre of road. National Highways spend Rs 10-12 crores per KM of highway construction. The cost jumps to Rs 30 crores per KM for ORR at Hyderabad (elevated). So quality of construction comes at a cost.

Corporation spends a peanut, in comparision to top up all roads running to thousands of KMs. If you have a bulging purse, the quality will be visible.The difference between Sony and Akai...

If the roads are laid properly even within the budget, what will happen to the periodic tendering process????? which is a lifeline for many.

Private sector roped in for launching 7 IT parks

CHENNAI: The Electronics Corporation of Tamil Nadu (ELCOT) has roped in the private sector to set up seven IT parks, along with social infrastructure, in different parts of the State to create an ecosystem.

A tender for selecting the private parties will be floated soon. Thereafter, a separate company will be formed, and the joint venture partner will be asked to construct the IT parks ranging from 50 to 100 acres. At present, the ELCOT is setting up IT parks in Chennai (200 acres), Tiruchi (50 acres), Madurai (10 and 250 acres), Tirunelveli (400 acres), Coimbatore (12 acres), Salem (100 acres) and Hosur (191.5 acres).

Talking to The Hindu on Thursday, Information Technology Secretary and ELCOT Chairman C. Chandramouli said: “It is a holistic approach adopted by us to attract and retain the best talent in the industry. Besides, we have committed ourselves to creating a complete ecosystem so that the people can live and walk to work. This is also in line with our Chief Minister’s commitment to taking information technology to Tier-II cities.”

These parks will have 90 per cent of the land allotted for office space and the rest for schools, housing, parks and other amenities. Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi has laid the foundation for four IT parks. The land for Hosur park is yet to be identified.

“The parks to be set up through Public-Private-Partnership will not only generate employment but also facilitate economic development of the area. This will go a long way in making Tamil Nadu the preferred global IT destination. The development of all the parks are being taken up at the same time,” he said.

http://www.hindu.com/2008/01/11/stories/2008011158820500.htm

Russia-based Kamaz to set up truck assembly plant in TN
MOSCOW: One of the Russia's largest truck maker, Kamaz incorporated, is eyeing a joint venture with its Indian partner, Tatra Vectra, to expand into the region.

http://www.newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp?ID=IEL20080111065331&Title=B+R+E+A+K+I+N+G++++N+E+W+S&Topic=0&

Delphi-TVS to invest Rs 500 cr in their Chennai plant
Friday, 11 January , 2008, 17:25

New Delhi: Auto parts maker Delphi-TVS today said it will invest Rs 500 crores in its manufacturing and technical centre at Chennai and expects a revenue of Rs 1,200 crore by 2012.
http://sify.com/finance/fullstory.php?id=14588174

http://www.hindu.com/2008/01/11/stories/2008011163921200.htm


CHENNAI: The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) will set up 13 food plazas and 9 fast food units in Southern Railway, in association with private players, in the second phase of its programme.

In the first phase, it commissioned 13 food plazas in the South Zone, including Chennai Central, Egmore, Beach, Park, Madurai, Tiruchi and Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu.

In the second phase food plazas will be opened at Katpadi, Tambaram, Salem and Thanjavur, and fast food units at Ambur, Coimbatore, and Arakonam in Tamil Nadu.

Elcot to build 50,000 sq ft space at Tirunelveli IT SEZ (http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2008/01/19/stories/2008011951982300.htm)


Electronics Corporation of Tamil Nadu (Elcot) plans to construct 50,000 sq ft of IT built up space in Tirunelveli IT SEZ at a cost of Rs 15 crore. This infrastructure will come up in the next five months, according to Mr C. Umashankar, Managing Director, Elcot.

The park is likely to generate direct employment to over 40,000 people in the next five years and around one lakh jobs in ten years. Sutherland and Hexaware have taken up land in the park and the Government expects ten more IT companies to come in, he said.

Tamil Nadu Government has decided on a joint venture-based development plan in an area of 400 acres in Tirunelveli IT park. Elcot is coming out with a tender to identify the private partner, he said.

Tier-II talent

After the success of Coimbatore, the State Government is promoting tier-II cities like Tirunelveli, Madurai, Salem, Tiruchi and Hosur as alternative IT destinations. The Tirunelveli region is called the Oxford of the South because of the presence of large educational institutions.

The region consists of Tuticorin, Tirunelveli, Virudhunagar and Kanyakumari districts. These districts have around 110 colleges producing over 50,000 graduates, including 22,000 engineering graduates every year.

http://www.hindu.com/2008/01/19/stories/2008011955310300.htm

EMPEE Distilleries Limited here is all set to make its foray into power generation.

The company will install bio-mass based power plants in the State. As a first step, it has got the approval of the Tamil Nadu Energy Development Agency (TEDA) to set up a 10 MW project at its plant in Koothadivayal village, near here, in Pudukkottai district. The plant will be commissioned in February, according to S. Pandiarajan, manager (power projects).

Chairman-cum-managing director of the company M.P. Purushothaman and Rajya Sabha MP Su. Tirunavukkarasar will participate in a function to mark the firing of the boiler at the distilleries’ campus on Sunday.

Once the plant goes on stream, “the firm will purchase a huge quantity of locally available firewood particularly Julia Flora available in and around Aranthagi. This will ensure sustained opportunity for the villagers to market the firewood.”

The plant will offer direct employment to about 150 persons and indirect employment to about 1,000.

http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/businessline/blnus/03191406.htm

TIRUCHIRAPALLI: Power generation major National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) was planning to generate around 600 MW of electricity using renewable energy resources in Tamil Nadu.

The PSU was aiming at generating 1000 MW power under renewable energy mode and a major portion of it will be in Tamil Nadu, Mr T Sankaralingam, Chairman of NTPC, said here after holding talks with Tamil Nadu Electricity Board (TNEB) officials yesterday.

A blue print would be made ready shortly for a joint venture with TNEB, he said. The projects would include windmills and biomass units, he added.

NTPC already has entered into a joint venture with TNEB for setting up an Rs 7,500 crore thermal poewr plant at Ennore, with a projected capacity of 1,500 MW.

http://www.livemint.com/2008/01/21174558/Jharkhand-and-Orissa-register.html

New Delhi: Jharkhand and Orissa are growing at a frenetic pace in terms of their per capita income, owing to a massive thrust that industrial activity has received in the two mineral rich states while Karnataka, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu have maintained leads among other states.
According to an Assocham Eco Pulse (AEP) study on ‘States performance in per capita income’ has highlighted that Jharkhand, with per capita income of Rs14,990, has registered 16.6% growth. With an abundant resource of mineral and other natural resources, the state has been receiving investment proposals in steel, cement and power sectors, giving necessary push to its economy, providing sufficient employment opportunities.
With influx of huge capex by the large industrial houses in the core infrastructure sector, Orissa is witnessing a rapid rise of 11.5% in income distribution (Rs14,795).
Per capita income reflects on the purchasing power and standard of living of the people of each state. For inclusive growth, it is necessary for the states to put in efforts to raise the income attributable to each person.
Buoyed by huge investment flow, rising employment opportunities, increasing foothold of service-based sectors, southern states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu and industrialized Gujarat rank among the top states with per capita income more than the all-India average of Rs20,734 (in FY06).
Karnataka tops the chart of well-to-do states with fastest growing income per person by 9.28% at Rs21829 for the FY 2006. Gujarat’s average income per person rose to Rs26,543 with growth of 8.92%. Per capita income in Tamil Nadu was recorded at Rs24,308 with rise of 8.46%. Noticeably, these best performing states are among the 10 most populous Indian states with more than 54 million population each.
However, Delhi and Goa, relatively smaller states, have highest per capita income at Rs49172 and Rs47507 but the rate of growth is relatively lower at 6.9% and 6%.
The state of Chhattisgarh struggling at political, social and economic front, witnessed 8.8% growth, though average income base remains very low at Rs16,365.
Development plans in Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar are yet to take off as they remain at the bottom of the pyramid with lowest per capita incomes of Rs12566, Rs10637 and Rs6610 growing at the slowest rates of 2.9%, 3.1% and 3.7% respectively.
Per capita income in 17 states was growing below the national average of 8.4% while per capita income for the Indian economy grew to Rs22,483 in FY07 from Rs20,734 in FY06.
Maharashtra, with the largest state domestic product and major recipient of foreign as well as domestic investment, has witnessed a healthy growth rate of 7.3% in its per capita income (29,085). Another state to record above 7% growth was Uttaranchal, though the income base was low at Rs20, 328 per person in fiscal 06.
Haryana, with prosperous farm sector and booming IT, real estates, engineering and construction activities, has the third largest per capita income of Rs 29,887 growing at 6.5%.
West Bengal, despite having the fourth largest population, has managed to raise its per capita income at a rate of 6%, owing to massive investment plans in sectors like steel, real estate, power, retail and IT. The average income per person was recorded at Rs 20,485 in the fiscal 2005-2006.
There were states where the effect of overall economic boom was not reflected in their per capita income. While the state domestic product of Kerela and Andhra Pradesh grew by 8.8% and 7% respectively, average income available to each person grew by 5.9% each.
Per capita income in scarcely populated Himachal Pradesh rose at a moderate growth rate of 5.34%. As the state remains predominantly dependent on tourism sector, the level of industrial investment remains low. Per capita income was recorded at Rs27,162 in fiscal 06.
Growth in the prosperous state of Punjab seems to have stalled as rise in per capita was estimated to be mere 2.9%, even though it has the fifth largest per capita income of Rs28,605.

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/News/News_By_Industry/Energy/Power/ETA_Stars_Indonesian_mine_to_fuel_Tamil_Nadu_power_plant/articleshow/2719338.cms

MUMBAI: Dubai-based ETA Star Group has acquired a 100-million tonne (mt) coal mine in Indonesia, worth $300 million, to fuel its proposed 1,200-mega watt (mw) power plant coming up in coastal Tamil Nadu. ETA Star Resources Indonesia, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the group, will own the mine and sell coal to the recently-floated Indian subsidiary, ETA Star Energy, which will own the power project, ETA Star director Hameed Syed Salahuddin told ET.

“The group plans to start coal production from the Indonesian mine by 2010. The entire production will be for the Indian power projects. Initially, we plan to export 2-3 mt coal annually and later, it will be increased. At present, we are setting up road infrastructure for evacuating coal from the mine,” said Mr Salahuddin, adding that ETA would invest $3.5 billion in the India’s infrastructure and realty sectors.

The group is investing Rs 6,000 crore for setting up the power plant in Tamil Nadu. The power generation project in India, also the group’s first, will be developed as a merchant power project, which will be operational by 2010. The company has started the acquisition of land. ETA has plans to build a coal terminal as part of the project to receive the imported coal.

ETA has lined up mega plans to invest in renewable energy. It is keen to build a 100-mw wind farm south of Tamil Nadu with an investment of Rs 500 crore. Recently, it has bagged a 100-mw hydel power project in Meghalaya, which needs another Rs 500 crore investment. By 2012, the projects are expected to be completed. The company, which has a 10-mw bio-mass plant in Punjab, plans another 10-mw plant in Tamil Nadu.

The group’s dry-bulk port for handling cement, coal and iron ore will come up in Tamil Nadu, which entails an investment of Rs 3,000-3,500 crore. The port will have the draft to handle panamax-size vessels. It will also have a liquid terminal facility attached to it.

“ETA Star Property, another subsidiary of the group, will invest Rs 4,000 crore to build a satellite township near Chennai. The company is acquiring 1,000 acre for building the township. In Bangalore, the company is developing five properties for real estate projects. These will need Rs 2,000 crore investment,” said Mr Salahuddin.

The group’s special purpose vehicle — ETA Star Infrastructure — is bidding to develop roads on the public-private partnership basis. The group has its presence in 21 countries, with a consolidated turnover of $5 billion for the year ended 2007.

---------------------------------------------------------------
Does any one know the location of the port and power plant ? Cheyyar / Marakkanam / Cuddalore ??

http://www.financialexpress.com/news/New-projects-to-meet-power-needs-of-TN-through-JV-route/264106/

Chennai, Jan 21 The Tamil Nadu government is taking steps to increase power generation from the power stations owned by the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board (TNEB) and is encouraging investment in the joint sector. An additional 5770 mw generation capacity is to be created in the thermal, hydel and gas-based sectors by 2012.

The State will also get additional share of power from the Central projects scheduled to be commissioned in the next five years.

Expansion of TNEB power stations during the 11th Plan period (2007-2012) involves creation 3,095 mw generation capacity, according to electricity minister Arcot N.Veerasamy.

Joint ventures will create 2000 mw capacity and hydel stations 675 mw.

The proposed TNEB expansion projects are 1000 mw in North Chennai Thermal Power Station, 500 mw in Mettur Thermal Power Station, 1000 mw in Tuticorin Thermal Power Station and 500 mw in Ennore Thermal Power Station. Another 95 mw is to be generated from the Vazhuthur gas-based power station.

Wind sector is estimated to have an additional capacity of 3000 mw during this period.

TNEB has entered into joint venture agreements with the Central power generating Companies for the 1000 mw NTPC-TNEB project at North Chennai and 1000 mw NLC-TNEB project at Tuticorin.

Initiating the works for the 600 mw second stage of the 630 mw capacity North Chennai Power Station of TNEB at Atthipettu village on Monday, the minister said indigenous and imported coal would be brought for power generation through the three major ports at Ennore, Chennai and Tuticorin. The project is being implemented by Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd (BHEL).

The proposed hydro-electric projects are 30-mw Bhavani Kattalai Barrage II, 30-mw Bhavani Kattalai Barrage III, 10-mw Bhavani Barrage I, 10-mw Bhavani Barrage II, 20-mw Kollimalai, 500-mw Kundah Pump Storage, 25-mw Moyar Ultimate Stage, and 50-mw Periyar Vaigai Barrage.

Apart from these, TNEB is also entitled to additional share of power from the Central projects that would be commissioned during the 11th Plan.

They include the 2000 mw Koodankulam Nuclear Power Stage I; and 2000 mw Koodankulam Nuclear Power Stage II; 500 mw NLC Thermal Station II Expansion; 500-mw Kalpakkam Fast Breder Reactor; and 1,000-mw Jayankondam Lignite Project by NLC.

http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2008/01/24/stories/2008012451701200.htm

Tamil Nadu Newsprint and Papers Ltd hopes to start work on its Rs 725-crore mill expansion plan by May.

According to official sources, the mill expansion plan will take the paper production capacity to 4 lakh tonnes (lt) a year from 2.45 lt. This expansion will be in place by March 2010.
The company plans to borrow over Rs 500 crore – the details of which will be finalised in the next few months – and generate the rest from internal accruals. With the market buoyant and the company consistently reporting a profit, it plans to plough back its surplus into the expansion programme.

The company is now in the final stages of completing a mill development plan launched in 2005 at a cost of Rs 525 crore. This programme will result in the in-house pulp capacity going up to 800 tonnes a day from the present 500 tonnes. Paper production capacity would increase to 2.45 lt a year from 2.30 lt now. Captive power generation capacity would go up to 81.12 MW from 61.12 MW. The benefits of these expansions would start accruing from the first quarter of the next financial year.

According to an official press release, the company expects to complete the mill development plan by March, which will pave the way for the expansion once the pulp mill is in place. Also, the company is entirely self-reliant on power and will be able to meet the expanded power needs for the next few years.

To bring down the dependence on imported pulp, the company has been increasing the pulp wood plantations. It now has over 19,349 acres under cultivation and will add 12,000 acres in the current year.

http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2008/01/30/stories/2008013051951600.htm

Chettinad Cement Corporation Ltd will be coming out with a rights issue to raise up to Rs 250 crore to fund a project, according to a separate announcement made by the company to the stock exchange.

Chettinad Cement has in-principle decided to set up a second line at its two-million tonne green-field cement plant coming up at Ariyalur, near Tiruchi.
Production Capacity

The company has said that it would set up an additional two-million tonne cement production line at the new facility. When completed, the total production capacity would increase to 7 million tonnes from the present three million tonnes.

According to officials, the company has opted for the expansion because of the ‘economies involved.’

The expanded facility could make use of the common facilities including the rail siding and the 30 MW coal-based power plant planned earlier. Work on the first line was proceeding with civil work in progress and machinery supplies starting.

^^

Already two cement projects in Ariyalur is under construction. They are Chettinad and Madras cements new lines!! Civil and mechanical works are started and production is expected in this year end!

Ariyalur cement production will increase in coming financial year. It is good to see that Chettinad is going for another line at Ariyalur... Even Dalmia has planned yet another line at Ariyalur.

Ariyalur is going to be cement supplier to the construction boom in Chennai, Trichy, Salem, Madurai and rest of the TN!!

But when compared to AP cement projects in TN is less!! AP has more limestone resources!!

Carborundum Universal Expansion plans...

Implementation of the Metallised Cylinders project at Hosur is progressing as planned. The project scope has been enhanced and consequently the outlay increased from Rs.37 crores to Rs.49 crores spread over 2 years. The plant has been designed in consultation with international technologists to deliver consistent products of international standards.

The Board has approved the setting up of a new Super Refractories plant in Vellore District, Tamilnadu at a cost of about Rs. 30 crores which will help to double capacity for super refractory products over a two year time frame. The new plant will help CUMI to enhance its product range in the refractory segment and also benchmark its products with global majors.

http://cumi.murugappa.com/PressRelease.html

TIRUCHI: The Textiles Committee, a unit of the Union Ministry of Textiles, will float 28 handlooms clusters in Tamil Nadu, under its integrated handloom cluster development programme, to improve the economic status of handloom weavers, according to B. B. Paul, Director, Southern Zone, Weavers Service Centre, Chennai.

Addressing reporters here on Wednesday, Mr. Paul said the programme would be implemented for three years; each cluster would get Rs.60 lakh in assistance. Exposure to modern weaving techniques, skills development programmes and market support were the objectives.

Each cluster would have 300-500 handlooms.

The cluster development would be taken up by the Weavers Service Centre, the Co-optex and the State Government. The Weavers Service Centre would establish the Esalam cluster in Villupuram district; the Tirumalpur cluster near Kancheepuram; and the Dadagapettai cluster in Salem. The Co-optex would develop 10 clusters, while the Government would develop the rest.

Mr. Paul said all arrangements were being made to float the clusters shortly. In fact, the Esalam cluster had already started training programmes on the latest techniques using high efficiency handlooms.

“The objective of the cluster development programme is to enhance the daily wages from the present Rs.70 to Rs. 100.”

The clusters in Tiruchi, Kurunjipadi and Tiruvannamalai had been formed on an outlay of Rs. two crore each, with 3,000 weavers as members. To make the programme moer efficient, the strength of looms would be kept to 300-500.

Later, addressing weavers at a seminar on ‘Natural dyes for value addition,’ Mr. Paul explained the efficacy of natural dyes in handloom goods.

P. Thennarasu, Assistant Director of Weaving, Weavers Service Centre, Chennai, and G. Ramesh Babu, Cluster Development Executive, Textiles Committee, Tiruchi, spoke.


Source : The Hindu

http://www.equitybulls.com/admin/news2006/news_det.asp?id=25103

Tulsyan NEC Ltd has announced that the Company have been entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Power Trading Corporation for developing a Power Plant having generating capacity of 125 MW. The proposed plant is planned to be set up in the State of Tamil Nadu.

New bridges for Karur (http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2008/02/06/stories/2008020651312100.htm)


The State Highways Department is all set to construct two new major bridges in Karur district at a cost of Rs. 4.57 crore. The bridges are to be constructed across the rivers Amaravathy and Nankanchi and follows long-pending demand of the people of the region.

Laying the foundation stone for the two bridges, the Highways Minister, Mr Vellakoil M.P. Saminathan, said that one bridge would come up at Tadakoil village on the Aravakurichi bypass road across river Nankanchi at a cost of Rs. 1.37 crore. The other bridge is to come up at Othamandurai on the Karur-Pollachi highway across River Amaravathy

http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2008/02/09/stories/2008020951900300.htm

It will be located either in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka or Gujarat.

விழுப்புரம்-திண்டுக்கல் இரட்டை ரயில் பாதை ஒப்புதல் : ரயில்வே பட்ஜெட்டிலேயே இடம்பெறுகிறது- நமது டில்லி நிருபர்

Source : Dinamalar - first Page

தமிழகத்தின் நீண்டநாள் கோரிக்கையும் தென்மாவட்ட மக்களின் கனவும் ஏக்கமுமாக இருந்த விழுப்புரம்-திண்டுக்கல் இரட்டை அகலரயில்பாதை திட்டத்திற்கு பிள்ளையார் சுழி போடப்பட்டுள்ளது.

இந்த திட்டத்திற்கு ரயில்வே ஆணையம், திட்டக்கமிஷன், நிதியமைச்சகம் ஆகியவற்றைச் சேர்ந்த விரிவுபடுத்தப்பட்ட ஆணையத்தின் ஆலோசனைக் கூட்டத்தில் ஒப்புதல் கிடைத்துள்ளது. விரைவில் தாக்கல் செய்யப்படவுள்ள ரயில்வே பட்ஜெட்டில் விழுப்புரம்-திண்டுக்கல் இரட்டை அகலரயில்பாதை திட்டம் இடம்பெறவது ஏறத்தாழ உறுதியாகிவிட்டது.

இந்த திட்டத்திற்கான ஆய்வறிக்கையை ரயில்வே இணையமைச்சர் வேலு தயார் செய்து அளித்தபோது திரும்பக் கிடைக்கும் வருமானம் இந்த திட்டத்தின் மூலம் கிடைக்காது என்ற காரணத்தை கூறி முதன்முறையாக நிராகரிக்கப்பட்டது.

பின்னர் முதல் அறிக்கையில் கூறப்பட்டிருந்த 11 சதவீதம் வருமானத்தை 15 சதவீதமாக உயர்த்தி இப்போது அனுமதி அளியுங்கள் என மீண்டும் திட்டக்கமிஷனிடம் வேலு சமர்பித்தார். அதைப்பார்த்த திட்டக்கமிஷன்,` இந்த திட்டத்திற்கு தேவைப்படும் ரூ.820 கோடியில் பாதியை மாநில அரசு பொறுப்பேற்க வேண்டும்,' என்று கூறி கிடப்பில் போட்டார்.

முதல்வர் கருணாநிதி இந்த திட்டம் குறித்து பிரதமரிடம் கோரிக்கை வைத்தார். தமிழக எம்.பி.,க்களில் முதல்தடவை சுதர்சன நாச்சியப்பன் தலைமையில் அப்பாத்துரை, ரவிச்சந்திரன், கிருஷ்ணன் ஆகிய ஐந்து பேர் மத்திய திட்டக்கமிஷனிடம் முறையிட்டனர். பின்னர் சித்தன், கார்வேந்தன் ஆகியோரும் இந்த திட்டத்திற்காக கோரிக்கை மனு அளித்தனர்.

ரயில்வே இணையமைச்சர் வேலு, தற்போது ரயில்வே பட்ஜெட் தயாராகவுள்ள நிலையில் மீண்டும் மத்திய திட்டக்கமிஷன் அதிகாரி பூரியிடம் இந்த திட்டம் குறித்து விரைந்து முடிவெடுக்கும்படி பேசியதாக தெரிகிறது. பட்ஜெட்டுக்கு முன்பாக வழக்கமாக நடைபெறும் விரிவான ஆலோசனைக் குழுவின் கூட்டம் நேற்று ரயில்வே அமைச்சகத்தில் நடைபெற்றது.

ரயில்வே அதிகாரிகள், மத்திய திட்டக்கமிஷன் அதிகாரிகள், நிதியமைச்சக அதிகாரிகள் என மூன்று தரப்பும் கலந்து கொண்ட இந்த ஆலோசனைக் கூட்டத்தில் விழுப்புரம்-திண்டுக்கல் இரட்டை அகலரயில்பாதை திட்டம் குறித்தும் ஆய்வு செய்யப்பட்டது. இந்த திட்டத்தை ஏற்றுக் கொள்வது என்றும் இதற்கான ஒப்புதலை அளிப்பது என்றும் முடிவெடுக்கப்பட்டது. இதுகுறித்து அந்த கூட்டத்தில் கலந்து கொண்ட அதிகாரி ஒருவர் கூறியதாவது:

ஒருவழியாக விழுப்புரம்-திண்டுக்கல் இரட்டைரயில்பாதை திட்டத்திற்கு ஒப்புதல் கிடைத்துவிட்டது. திட்டக்கமிஷன் அதிகாரி பூரி என்பவர் ஒவ்வொரு முறையும் ஒவ்வொரு காரணம் கூறி நிராகரித்தார். ஆனால் அமைச்சர் வேலு விடவில்லை. திரும்ப திரும்ப திட்டக்கமிஷன் ஒப்புதல் அளிப்பதற்கு வேண்டிய அனைத்து விபரங்களையும் அளித்துப்பார்த்தார். கடைசியாக இந்த திட்டம் குறித்து கூறிய பூரி, 11 வது ஐந்தாண்டு திட்டத்தின் கீழ் நாடு முழுவதும் 32 ரயில்வே திட்டங்களை நிறைவேற்றப்படுமென குறிப்பிட்டு ரயில்வே அமைச்சகம் அறிக்கை தந்துள்ளது.

அதில் விழுப்புரம்-திண்டுக்கல் இரட்டை ரயில் பாதை திட்டம் இல்லையே..எப்படி அனுமதியளிப்பது என்று கேட்டு முட்டுக்கட்டை போட்டுள்ளார். ஆனாலும் கடைசி அஸ்திரமாக தற்போது விரிவுபடுத்தப்பட்ட ஆணையத்தின் ஆலோசனைக் கூட்டம் மூலமாக இந்த திட்டத்திற்கு ஒப்புதலை அளித்தே ஆக வேண்டுமென உறுதியாக நின்று அமைச்சர் வேலு சாதித்துக் காட்டிவிட்டார். இதுவரை இருந்து வந்த தடை நீங்கியிருப்பதன்மூலம் விரைவில் தாக்கல் ஆகப்போகும் ரயில்வே பட்ஜெட்டில் கட்டாயம் இந்த திட்டம் இடம்பெறப்போகிறது. இதன்வாயிலாக தென்மாவட்ட மக்களின் நீண்டகால கோரிக்கைக்கு பிள்ளையார் சுழி போடப்பட்டுள்ளது.இவ்வாறு அந்த அதிகாரி கூறினார்.

எத்தனை பேருக்கு தெரியும்:சென்னையிலிருந்து கிளம்பினால் செங்கல்பட்டு வரை மட்டுமே இரட்டை ரயில்பாதை உள்ளது.செங்கல்பட்டு-விழுப்புரம் இரட்டை பாதை அமைக்கும்பணிகள் விரைவில் துவங்கவுள்ளன. ஆனால் விழுப்புரத்திலிருந்து திண்டுக்கல் வரை ஒரே ஒரு பாதை மட்டுமே இருக்கிறது. இதனால் தென்மாவட்டங்களுக்கு கூடுதல் ரயில்கள் இயக்க முடியவில்லை. இந்த ஒரே ஒரு பாதையை வைத்துக் கொண்டிருப்பதால் தென்மாவட்டங்களின் எதிர்கால தொழில்வளர்ச்சியும் கேள்விக்குறியாகவே இதுவரை இருந்து வருகிறது. ஏற்கனவே திண்டுக்கல்லில் இருந்து மதுரைக்கு இரட்டை பாதை அமைக்கும் பணி முடிவடைந்துவிட்டது. தற்போது இந்த திட்டமும் நிறைவேறினால் சென்னையிலிருந்து எங்கும் தடையில்லாமல் மதுரைக்கு ரயில்போக்குவரத்து கிடைக்கும் என்பது குறிப்பிடத்தக்கது. Hats' UP Velu!! He did it!!! :banana::banana:

^^

Yes he did it!

Two major needs of western TN and southern TN was attended in this 3-4 years by central gvt. Salem division and Villupuram-Dindigul doubling!

CHENNAI: Detailed reports on most of the components of the three proposed links of rivers in the State will be ready by March-end.

This is part of the State Government’s programme of implementing three projects – linking the Cauvery with Agniyar, South Vellar, Pambar, Manimuthar, Vaigai and Gundar; linking Pennaiyar with Cheyyar and linking Tamiraparani with Karumeniyar and Nambiyar.

All the three links have been proposed taking into account the flood flows. Public Works Minister Durai Murugan told reporters in Vellore that “we should at least be able to link the rivers within Tamil Nadu to impound the surplus water going waste into the sea and take water from surplus areas to dry basins.”

The programme will benefit water-deficit areas of Pudukottai, Sivaganga, Ramanathapuram, Virudhunagar, Tirunelveli and Tuticorin districts. Tanks in the basins of various rivers will also be filled. Totally, 10,630 acres will be required, of which the forest area accounts for 215 acres.

The first link (Cauvery-Gundar) has three components such as conversion of Kattalai Bed Regulator into a barrage, the Kattalai-Manimuthar stretch (length: 165 km) and the Manimuthar-Gundar stretch (90 km). The report on the first component is ready and the estimated cost is Rs. 165 crore for converting the regulator into barrage. The report on the second component is likely to be ready by March and the report on the third (over 90 km) will be prepared by August. The reports for the second link (Pennaiyar-Cheyyar) and the third link (Tamiraparani-Karumeniyar and Nambiyar) will be ready next month.

On Thursday, A. Mohanakrishnan, chairman of the Cauvery Technical Cell, apprised Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi of the details of the projects at the Secretariat. Senior officials, including Chief Secretary L.K. Tripathy and Public Works Secretary S. Audiseshiah were present.

http://www.hindu.com/2008/02/15/stories/2008021556710100.htm

http://www.dailythanthi.com/article.asp?NewsID=393537&disdate=2/15/2008

http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2008/02/15/stories/2008021550630200.htm

Jubilant Energy, part of the Jubilant Group, on Thursday announced an oil and gas discovery in a Cauvery basin block off the Tamil Nadu coast. According to a statement issued by the company, the discovery was made in Block CY-ONN-2002/1.

Jubilant is the operator of the block. Gujarat State Petroleum Corp (GSPC) and GAIL (India) are the other consortium partners. The block was awarded to the consortium in the fourth bid round under New Exploration Licensing Policy (NELP).

“The new discovery of gas and light crude oil is made in Andimadam and Sattapadi formation in the Cauvery basin, in addition to the established Bhuvanagari formation. A total of 110 metre of Net Pay was encountered within the well,” the release said.

http://www.hindu.com/2008/02/19/stories/2008021955070300.htm

TIRUVANNAMALAI: A clothing factory is coming up in Cheyyar in Tiruvannamalai district at a cost of Rs.300 crore, and the company will begin production soon, according to Food Minister E.V. Velu

Chennai, Feb 21: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi today urged Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to sanction four new projects and a guage conversion project for the state in the ensuing Railway Budget.


In a letter to the Prime Minister, Mr Karunanidhi urged him to sanction laying of a new track from Ennore Port to Puttur exclusively for carrying cargo, new railway lines connecting Erode and the temple town of Palani, and from tourist resort of Mamallapuram to Cuddalore via Puducherry and an additional line between Villuppuram and Dindigul and guage conversion between Madurai and Bodinaickanur and ensure that these were included in the ensuing Railway Budget.

Today's letter to the Prime Minister followed repeated letters sent by the Chief Minister to the Centre on new railway projects for the state, an official release said.

--- UNI

http://www.newkerala.com/one.php?action=fullnews&id=24915

http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2008/02/22/stories/2008022251140400.htm

Puducherry-based content process outsourcing firm Integra Software Services plans to acquire two foreign companies in the e-publishing space in the current year.

According to Mr Sriram Subramanya, Founder, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the company, the deals are under process and post acquisition, Integra will be able to offer end-to-end services. Without disclosing the names of the line of business that the to-be-acquired companies operate in, he said, “they will bring in new customers that we would not have been able to obtain on our current expertise.”

Integra offers a range of solutions from keyboarding, type setting to high-end services such as project management and editorial content development. It is planning to invest about $15 million (Rs 60 crore) in the proposed acquisitions and setting up two new offices in Tamil Nadu. “We are looking for SEZ space in tier-II and tier-III cities,” Mr Subramanya told Business Line on the sidelines of an e-publishing conference, organised here by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).

Funds will be raised through a combination of internal accruals and debt and if necessary, private equity infusion, he added. Bearing Private Equity is a major investor in the company.

Headcount


Including the acquisitions, Integra would add about 500 people to its 1,000 strong employee base this year. The company runs a captive training school to train all the freshers it hires. The company’s revenues are expected to touch $10 million (Rs 40 crore) this year.

Villupuram - Dindigul BG Doubling
Pazhani - Erode
Chennai - Cuddalore
Athpatu - Puthur
Madurai - Podi BG

Source : Dinamalar

Villupuram - Dindigul BG Doubling
Pazhani - ErodeChennai - CuddaloreAthpatu - PuthurMadurai - Podi BG Source : Dinamalar
தமிழகத்திற்கான ஐந்து ரயில்வே திட்டங்கள் குறித்த அறிவிப்பு ரயில்வே பட்ஜெட்டில் இடம்பெறுவது உறுதியாகி விட்டது.

விழுப்புரம்-திண்டுக்கல் இரட்டை அகல ரயில்பாதை; பழனி-ஈரோடு புதிய ரயில்பாதை; சென்னை-கடலூர் புதிய ரயில்பாதை; அத்திப்பட்டு-புத்தூர் புதிய ரயில்பாதை மற்றும், மதுரை-போடி அகலப்பாதையாக்கும் திட்டங்களுக்கு மத்திய அமைச்சரவை ஒப்புதல் அளித்துள்ளது. தவிர, ராமேஸ்வரத்திலிருந்து, துவாரகாவுக்கு புதிய ரயிலும் விடப்படவுள்ளது. இதுகுறித்த, அறிவிப்பும் ரயில்வே பட்ஜெட்டில் இடம்பெறவுள்ளது. மத்திய அரசின் 2008-09ம் ஆண்டிற்கான ரயில்வே பட்ஜெட்டை, வரும் 26ம் தேதி லாலுபிரசாத் தாக்கல் செய்யவுள்ளார். விழுப்புரத்திற்கும், திண்டுக்கல்லுக்கும் இடையில் தற்போது ஒற்றைவழிபாதையாக இருப்பதை மாற்றி, இரட்டை அகலரயில்பாதை அமைக்க வேண்டுமென்று, பல ஆண்டுகளாக கோரிக்கை இருந்து வந்தது. இந்த கோரிக்கையை பலமுறை வலியுறுத்தியும் கூட, மத்திய திட்டக்கமிஷன் நிராகரித்து வந்தது. திட்டக்கமிஷனால் நிகராகரிக்கப்பட்ட து,

மத்திய அமைச்சரவையில் வைத்து ஒப்புதல் பெறப்பட்டுவிட்டது. இத்திட்டத்திற்கு, ரூ.822 கோடி தேவைப்படும் என்றும், பாதி தொகையை மாநில அரசே ஏற்க வேண்டுமென்றும் மத்திய திட்டக்கமிஷன் வலியுறுத்தி வந்தது. ஆனால், முழுக்க முழுக்க மத்திய அரசின் நிதிஒதுக்கீட்டிலேயே தற்போது நிறைவேறப் போகிறது. எண்ணூர் அருகே உள்ள அத்திப்பட்டுக்கும், புத்தூருக்கும் இடையில் புதிய ரயில்பாதை அமைக்கும் திட்டத்திற்கான செலவில் பாதியை, எண்ணூர் துறைமுகமே ஏற்கவுள்ளது. எண்ணூர் துறைமுகத்திற்கு வரும் சரக்குகளை சென்னைக்குள் வராமலேயே ஆந்திரா உள்ளிட்ட வடமாநிலங்களுக்கு கொண்டு செல்வதற்கு இந்த ரயில்பாதை பேருதவியாக இருக்கும். இந்த ரயில்பாதை மூலம் சென்னை எண்ணூர் துறைமுகத்திற்கும், மும்பை துறைமுகத்திற்கும் இடையில் நேரடி ரயில்பாதை இணைப்பு கிடைக்கும்.

நாடு முழுவதும் மீட்டர் கேஜ் பாதைகள் ஏறத்தாழ ஒழிக்கப்பட்டு விட்ட நிலையில், இன்னமும் மீட்டர் கேஜ் பாதையாக மதுரை-போடி ரயில்பாதை இருக்கிறது. தமிழகத்தில் இருந்த பிற மீட்டர் கேஜ் பாதைகள் அனைத்தும் அகலரயில்பாதைகளாக மாற்றம் பெற்று வரும் நிலையில், இந்த பாதை மட்டும் விடுபட்டு கிடந்தது. இந்த பாதையையும் அகல ரயில் பாதையாக்க வேண்டுமென்ற கோரிக்கை மத்திய அமைச்சரவையால் ஏற்றுக் கொள்ளப்பட்டுள்ளது. இரண்டாயிரம் கோடி ரூபாய் செலவிலான, இந்த ஐந்து ரயில்வே திட்டங்களும் எதிர்வரும் ரயில்வே பட்ஜெட்டில் இடம்பெறுவது நிச்சயமாகியுள்ளது. தவிர, தமிழத்திற்கென புதிய ரயில்கள் பல அறிமுகமாகவுள்ளன. இவை, தமிழகத்திற்குள்ளேயே ஓடும் வகையில் அறிமுகப்படுத்தப்படவுள்ளது.

ராமேஸ்வரத்துக்கும், கன்னியாகுமரிக்கும் இடையில் புதிய ரயில்பாதை அமைக்கும் திட்டம் குறித்த ஆய்வு நடத்த திட்டமிடப்பட்டுள்ளது. இதுகுறித்த அறிவிப்பும் பட்ஜெட்டில் இடம்பெறப்போகிறது. இந்த புதிய ரயில்பாதை, ரமேஸ்வரத்தில் துவங்கி, திருச்செந்தூர், தூத்துக்குடி வழியாக கன்னியாகுமரி சென்றடையும். சென்னை அயனாவரத்தில் உள்ள ரயில்வே மருத்துவமனையை நவீனமயமாக்குவதற்காக ரூ.50 கோடி வரை இந்த ரயில்வே பட்ஜெட்டில் ஒதுக்கீடு செய்யப்படவுள்ளது என்பதும் குறிப்பிடத்தக்கது.:banana::banana::banana:

Renault, Nissan seal JV for Rs 4,500 cr TN unit - Tamil Ver

சென்னை: சென்னை அருகே ரூ.4 ஆயிரம் கோடி முதலீட்டில் ஆண்டுக்கு நான்கு லட்சம் கார் உற்பத்தி செய்யும் ரெனால்- நிசான் நிறுவனத்தின் தொழிற்சாலை அமைப்பதற்கான ஒப்பந்தம் முதல்வர் கருணாநிதி முன்னிலையில் நேற்று கையெழுத்தானது.

இம்மாதம் 6ம் தேதி நடந்த தமிழக அமைச்சரவைக் கூட்டத்தில் ரூ.16 ஆயிரம் கோடி முதலீட்டில் ஐந்து புதிய பெரிய தொழிற்சாலைகள் துவக்குவதற்கு அனுமதி வழங்கப்பட்டது. இதில் ஒன்றாகிய ஒருங்கிணைந்த மோட்டார் வாகன உற்பத்தி தொழிற்சாலை சென்னைக்கு அருகே ஒரகடத்தில் ரெனால் மற்றும் நிசான் நிறுவனத்தால் துவக்கப்பட உள்ளது. ரூ.4 ஆயிரம் கோடி முதலீட்டில் அமைய உள்ள இந்த கார் தொழிற்சாலையில் ஆண்டுக்கு நான்கு லட்சம் கார்கள் தயாரிக்கப்படும்.

இத்தொழிற்சாலையை நிறுவுவதற்கான புரிந்துணர்வு ஒப்பந்தம் முதல்வர் கருணாநிதி முன்னிலையில் தமிழக அரசுக்கும், ரெனால் மற்றும் நிசான் நிறுவனத்துக்கும் இடையே தலைமைச் செயலகத்தில் நேற்று கையெழுத்தானது. இதுதவிர, தமிழகத்தில் மிகப் பெரிய தொழிற்சாலை ஒன்றை நிறுவ மகிந்திரா அண்ட் மகிந்திரா நிறுவனத்துடன் தமிழக அரசு தனியாக பேச்சுவார்த்தை நடத்தி வருகிறது.

http://img46.imageshack.us/img46/1514/fpn06on1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://www.hindu.com/2008/02/23/stories/2008022354750600.htm

http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2008/02/25/stories/2008022551391500.htm

Chennai, Feb. 24 The Confederation of Indian Industry has welcomed the Tamil Nadu Government’s initiative in announcing an exclusive policy for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME).

A press release from CII quoting Mr Gopal Srinivasan, Chairman, CII-Tamil Nadu State Council, said the policy would make the units here more competitive, spur industrial growth and employment generation.

Identifying electrical and electronic components, leather, automobile parts, pharmaceuticals and garment industries as thrust areas would catalyse these industries.

Thank the govt

The CII thanked the State Government for accepting its recommendations on providing capital subsidy on power to MSME units, funds for rehabilitation of sick units and infrastructure in industrial estates. Ms Gayathri Sriram, Convenor, MSME Panel, CII Tamil Nadu, said the policy provides for inclusive growth and development of tier II and III towns through measures to encourage investments in backward areas and subsidies for disabled SC/ST youth.

The move to allocate a portion of land in industrial estates for MSMEs will help them access the common infrastructure available in these places.

Subsidy for technology development and modernisation would support global competitiveness, the release said.

The first private fishing harbour in the country will be set up at Muttom in Kanyakumari district of Tamil Nadu for which the foundation stone was laid on February 5 by State Minister for Fisheries, K.P.P. Samy. The harbour is scheduled to be completed in the next two years.
The Tamil Nadu government has allotted Rs 150 crore for the fishing harbour and various other infrastructure projects. "The project, through public-private partnership on BOOT basis, is likely to cost Rs 55 crore," said Dr. Jeppiaar, Founder Chancellor of Satyabhama University, who was also former chairman of Chennai Metropolitan Water & Sewerage Board. The project will be implemented by Jeppiaar Fishing Harbour Muttom Pvt. Ltd, Chennai, he added.

The unique modern harbour will have a docking facility for 600 mechanised boats with restaurants, cold storage facility, auction hall, net repair shed and rooms to accommodate workers. The state has provided 40 acres of land for the entire project.

Tamil Nadu Fisheries Department, through open bidding process, selected Jeppiaar Fishing Harbour Muttom Pvt. Ltd for development of the harbour. The harbour also encompasses most modern designs and infrastructure with processing facilities befitting international standards.

The harbour will also facilitate infrastructure for ship repair and ship construction. It has advantage of becoming a tourism hub in future. Tamil Nadu State Department of Tourism has already initiated proposals in this regard. The project is being developed by Vijay Nirman Pvt. Ltd in regard to offshore work, and R.V. Ramarao is consultant for the project.

http://www.projectsmonitor.com/detailnews.asp?newsid=15502&secid=18

Stone laid for the Rs. 1,330-crore Hogenakkal Water Supply Scheme and Fluorosis Mitigation Programme ...

Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi has assured that the government will ensure establishment of industries in places other than Chennai and its suburbs.Guys pl note. The Top man is aware of your concern.

http://www.hindu.com/2008/02/27/stories/2008022759380800.htm

Nagercoil: The Central Government has decided to allot Rs.65 crore for modernisation of the Indian Rare Earths Limited (IREL) unit at Manavalakurichi in the district.

According to official sources, at present the Manavalakurichi unit has an installed capacity of (production) 90,000 tones per annum of ilmenite and other associated mineral products. The unit was under going capacity expansion and during the first phase, the capacity was being increased from 90,000 tones of ilmenite to 1.50 lakh tones per annum and 2.50 lakh tones of ilmenite per annum in the second phase.

The Manavalakurichi plant played an important role in the nuclear programme of the country.

This area has abundant monazite reserve and had supplied all along monazite to IREL unit at Alwaye in Kerala for processing monazite to separate uranium and thorium values. This has helped in IREL stockpiling sufficient quantity of thorium for use as nuclear fuel in the immediate future.

When scientists switched over to thorium fuel, Manavalakurichi plant would play a crucial role.

http://www.hindu.com/2008/02/28/stories/2008022857350600.htm

Institutes of Higher Education

26. Knowledge is power. It is knowledge that will drive success in the 21st century. India has the opportunity to become a knowledge society. Following the Prime Minister's announcement, an IIM at Shillong; three IISERs at Mohali, Pune and Kolkata; and an IIIT at Kanchipuram have started functioning. Government will establish one Central University in each of the hitherto uncovered States. We propose to make a beginning in 2008-09 by establishing 16 Central Universities. Besides, we propose to set up three IITs in Andhra Pradesh, Bihar and Rajasthan; two IISERs at Bhopal and Tiruvananthapuram; and two Schools of Planning and Architecture at Bhopal and Vijayawada. More institutes of higher education, as promised by the Prime Minister, will be established during the Eleventh Plan period.

http://www.indiainfoline.com/news/innernews.asp?storyId=60506&lmn=1

Except for the central university at Tiruvarur, none of the others have materialised in the budget.

TN clears cogeneration power project (http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2008/03/06/stories/2008030652131100.htm)


The Tamil Nadu Government has cleared a Rs 865 crore plan to set up over 185 MW of cogeneration power plants in the cooperative and public sector sugar mills.

The Tamil Nadu Electricity Board (TNEB) will establish the power plants jointly with the Sugar Department, which runs the 15 co-operative sugar mills and the two public sector mills in the State.

The mills will lease the land available with them to TNEB to implement the project. TNEB will raise a 13-year loan from the Rural Electrification Corporation Ltd covering about 80-90 per cent of the project cost. The members in the cooperatives will bring in 10 per cent and the balance would be in the form of equity from the Government.

NM Tyres to setup Rs 400 crores tyres plant

The plant with an investment of of over $ 100 Millions with an installed capacity of42,000 tpa will be located at Gangaikondan SIPCOT SEZ established to cater to Engineering,Rubber,Tyre sector which was notified recently.

Weak dollar a chance to boost Indo-German trade..

The depreciating dollar should be viewed as an opportunity to boost Indo-German trade, according to German Ambassador to India Bernd Muetzelburg.

Bernhard Steinruecke, director-general of the Chamber, said there were seven billion euros worth of publicly announced German investment in India in the pipeline. If one added the unannounced investments, German businesses were set to pour 10 billion euros, or $15 billion, into India in the next few years. A lot of this money would come to south India, especially Tamil Nadu. The growing relationship with the south led to the creation of a consulate-general in Bangalore.

http://www.hindu.com/2008/03/08/stories/2008030859080900.htm

Mitsubishi to make Outlander in India..

http://www.business-standard.com/common/news_article.php?autono=316149&leftnm=1&subLeft=0&chkFlg=

10 more government engineering colleges in Tamilnadu.

One coming up in backward district Ramanathapuram.

http://dkn.dinakaran.co.in/showxml.aspx?id=239553&code=16951

It will be have some good colleges like what we have in Chennai and Coimbatore!!

I think now TN is leading in producing engineers to the nation!!

NM Tyres to setup Rs 400 crores tyres plant

The plant with an investment of of over $ 100 Millions with an installed capacity of42,000 tpa will be located at Gangaikondan SIPCOT SEZ established to cater to Engineering,Rubber,Tyre sector which was notified recently.

Could u please post the link to the news ?

Here is the link for all those who are interested in the type and number of Industries set up at various SIPCOT Industrial estates in Tamilnadu. I think Sripedumpudur and Oragdam are not updated.

http://www.tn.gov.in/citizen/sipcot_industrial_directory.htm

^^subra.. regarding NM Tyres, I have requested the author to update the online version of ET. Hope she does that.

http://www.livemint.com/2008/03/12000727/Cuddalore-project-faces-setbac.html

The government’s ambitious plan to start power generation through ultra mega power projects (UMPPs), each with a capacity of 4,000MW, has suffered yet another setback, with a proposed site for one such at Cuddalore, in Tamil Nadu, being found unsuitable—it houses people displaced by the 2004 tsunami, who cannot be evicted.
“We are now looking for alternative suitable land,” said a government official, who did not wish to be identified. The government had planned to set up two projects in Tamil Nadu, at Cuddalore and Marakkanam. This is not the first time UMPP meant for the state has run into problems. The state had earlier decided to shift one UMPP that would be powered by imported coal from Cheyyur to Cuddalore due to high land prices as reported by Mint on 7 November.
Tamil Nadu has an installed power generation capacity of 10,000MW and plans to raise this to 13,000MW by 2012.
Of the nine proposed UMPPs, six are on track. While the projects at Mundra in Gujarat, Sasan in Madhya Pradesh and Krishnapattnam in Andhra Pradesh have been awarded, those at Tilaiya in Jharkhand, Cuddalore and Marakkanam in Tamil Nadu, and Jharsuguda in Orissa are yet to be assigned. The Centre has abandoned plans to set up UMPPs at Girye in Maharashtra, Tadri in Karnataka and Akaltara in Chhattisgarh for reasons ranging from environmental concerns to differences with the state government.
To reduce risks associated with power projects and increase investor confidence, the UMPP policy entails the creation of special purpose vehicles (SPVs), or firms that work with the concerned state government and local bodies to get land, and obtain requisite environmental and other clearances. Eventually, these SPVs are transferred to the successful bidder. In such a scenario, the role of the states is an important one.
The government is now worried about the fate of its flagship initiative to build generation capacity and finance minister P. Chidambaram had mentioned these concerns in his Budget speech.
“It is possible to bring five more ultra mega power projects in Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Orissa and Tamil Nadu to the bidding stage provided the states extend the required support. I urge them to do so,” Chidambaram had said in his speech on 29 February.
“It is a signal to the states from the finance minister. In the absence of state support nothing can be done. Though there were (earlier) problems with Girye, Tadri and Akaltara sites, now even (the sites in) Tamil Nadu have joined their ranks,” said an official at the Central Electricity Authority, the apex power planning authority in the country, who did not wish to be identified.

http://www.business-standard.com/common/news_article.php?leftnm=8&subLeft=2&chklogin=N&autono=316507&tab=r

Electronics Corporation of Tamil Nadu Ltd’s (Elcot) plans to set up IT parks in tier II cities of the state are gaining momentum.

According to Elcot sources, the commerce ministry has notified 49.89 hectares at Navalpattu on the outskirts of Trichy as a special economic zone (SEZ) for IT and IT-enabled services.

Besides, Elcot has sought an additional 120 acres in the same vicinity for which the district administration is already on the job.

Meanwhile, the IT park at Gagaikondan near Tirunelveli is taking shape. Located around 12 km from Tirunelveli, the total area of the SEZ is about 500 acres.

Elcot had fixed the land cost at Rs 15 lakh per acre on lease and Sutherland Global Services has already registered. Water supply and electric sub-stations in the park are already in place, the sources said.

Elcot authorities are hopeful of locating units of major IT industries at Tirunelveli, Trichy and Salem. Companies like HCL, Sutherland and CTS have evinced interest in the Trichy park.

Other companies like IBM, Infosys, TCS, and Bosch, too have initiated discussions.

http://news.in.msn.com/business/article.aspx?cp-documentid=1292172

Chennai: The signs of IT expansion beyond Chennai have started with the Tamil Nadu government’s initiatives to promote tier-II cities as IT hubs.
Under its IT/ITeS SEZ development plan, Electronic Corporation of Tamil Nadu (Elcot) is setting up nine IT SEZs in Tamil Nadu, developing 1 million sq ft space at an estimated cost of Rs 28,000-30,000 crore - one each at Perumbakkam village and Sholinganallur near Chennai, two in Madurai, and one each at Tiruchirapalli (Trichy), Krishnagiri, Salem, Coimbatore and Tirunelveli. Leading

IT product and services companies and ITeS majors have shown interest in leasing operating space at these SEZs, said Tamil Nadu IT secretary C. Chandramouli.
BPO company Sutherland has selected the IT park at Tirunelveli, sources said.

Others, who have shown interest in the 500-acre Tiruneveli IT park, include: Pune-based Syntel, US Technologies, HCL Technologies, Tessolve, Hexaware, AES Technologies, Orange Scape, Take Solutions and Accel Frontline, they said.
The Tirunelveli park, which is expected to become operational by June this year, will create 1 lakh jobs. HCL Technologies, Satyam, Sify, Sutherland and Cognizant Technologies also plan to operate out of the 200-acre IT SEZ at Perumbakkam near Chennai.
Wipro Technologies is already functioning out of a 4,000-seater facility at Perumbakkam.

Could u please post the link to the news ?

I couln't. But you owe me $10 for this image file. :)

http://img175.imageshack.us/img175/5589/nmtyresyw5.jpg

:cheers:I couln't. But you owe me $10 for this image file. :)

http://img175.imageshack.us/img175/5589/nmtyresyw5.jpg
Thanks for taking the effort to post the news. Appreciate it.

Signet signs MOU with TN to set up manufacturing unit

Signet Solar Inc, manufacturers of silicon thin film photovoltaic (PV) modules, will set up its first manufacturing plant at Sriperumbudur at an investment of Rs 2,000 crore and has signed an MoU with the Tamil Nadu government in this regard on Monday.

Addressing a press meet here after signing the MoU with the Industries Secretary M F Farooqui in the presence of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi, Dr Prabhu Goel, Chairman, Signet Solar, said construction of the 300 MW facility would begin later this year.

The technology and manufacturing knowhow for the plant would be transferred from the company's German operations, he said.

The plant was expected to generate about 4,000 direct and indirect job opportunities, he said.

The Chennai plant would be the company's next major manufacturing unit after its German plant, with a planned capacity of over 300 MW of solar panels, produced every year.

The company's decision to expand manufacturing in India follows more than $ 400 million in advance orders for the first three years of production, he said.

The German plant, scheduled to start operations in the third quarter this year, would have a total annual production capacity of 60 MW and additional production lines would be added to increase manufacturing capacity to over 1,000 MW by 2010.

Signet had last year announced plans to set up three solar photovoltaic manufacturing centres in India over a ten year period. http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/News/News_By_Industry/Energy/Power/Signet_signs_MOU_with_TN_to_set_up_manufacturing_unit/articleshow/2874727.cms

[QUOTE=Anniyan;19083616]Signet signs MOU with TN to set up manufacturing unit

Good News!.

More info from company site.

SIGNET SOLAR EXPANDS MANUFACTURING CAPACITY
WITH INDIA PLANT
With orders exceeding $400M, Signet Solar expands manufacturing in India
MENLO PARK, Calif. – (March 17, 2008) – Signet Solar, a manufacturer of silicon thin film photovoltaic (PV) modules, today announced plans to locate its second manufacturing site in the Sriperembudur Special Economic Zone near Chennai, India.
Signet Solar’s decision to expand manufacturing in India follows more than $400 million in advance orders for the first three years of production. The German plant, scheduled to start production by Q3 2008, will have a total annual production capacity of 60 MW. Additional production lines will be added to increase manufacturing capacity to over 100 MW in Germany by 2010.
“We are on schedule to start shipping products from our Dresden, Germany manufacturing plant by Q3 2008 and plan to begin shipments from India by 2010, with a goal of achieving grid parity pricing within the next five years,” said Rajeeva Lahri, CEO and Founder of Signet Solar. “We have strong demand in Europe and the US and are pleased that our customers have shown confidence in our engineering capabilities and our global strategy to produce high quality modules on a large scale.”
Signet Solar chose to locate its next manufacturing site in India because of the attractive incentives offered by the Government, including the recently announced semiconductor policy initiative and because of the strong emerging demand for renewable energy in India. Chennai, a port city in southern India, is a growing manufacturing center with well-developed infrastructure, world-class educational institutions and a large pool of engineering talent.
“We are pleased that global companies are responding to the new national policy on semiconductors,” said A. Raja, Honorable Minister of Information Technology and Communications. “Signet Solar’s state-of-the-art photovoltaic technology will play an important role in building nano-manufacturing infrastructure in India and deliver clean energy for sustainable, environmentally friendly growth.”
Large area thin film solar PV modules are in high demand in the utility and commercial market segment due to the lower system cost and higher ROI potential. Signet Solar is focused on manufacturing excellence and technology innovation – allowing it to produce high quality thin film PV modules with an industry-leading price-performance ratio.
Signet Solar customers include solar photovoltaic (PV) system integrators, installers of solar farms for utility scale power generation and independent power producers. Very large glass modules and the relatively lower cost of thin film technology are ideal for large scale PV system installations, building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) and rural electrification. Thin film modules are expected to play a vital role in peak power production and stand-alone applications by avoiding massive investments in power infrastructure. Signet Solar is poised to significantly expand existing markets for Clean Affordable Renewable Energy™ and create vast new opportunities in emerging economies.
- more -
SIGNET SOLAR EXPANDS MANUFACTURING CAPACITY WITH INDIA PLANT
About Signet Solar
Signet Solar, Inc. is a global company established in 2006 to bring Clean Affordable Renewable Energy™ to people and countries worldwide. Headquartered in Menlo Park, California, the company has been founded to design, develop, manufacture and market thin film silicon photovoltaic modules. For more information please visit www.signetsolar.com.
# # #
Signet Solar and Clean Affordable Renewable Energy are trademarks of Signet Solar, Inc. in the United States and other countries.
MEDIA CONTACT
Sanjay Arora, Signet Solar
+1 650.289.0399
pr@signetsolar.com

http://www.hindu.com/2008/03/18/stories/2008031853960500.htm

There is a proposal to add about 9000 MW to the power generated in the State over the next five years, said the Chairman, Tamil Nadu Electricity Regulatory Commission, S. Kabilan here on Monday.

Speaking to newspersons, he said that it would involve an expenditure of Rs. 45,000 crore.

While Rs. 10,000 crore would be raised by the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board, the balance would be taken care of by various agencies, including the National Thermal Power Corporation, Power Finance Corporation, Neyveli Lignite Corporation and the Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited.
Demand

It would help meet the growing demand. Merchant power plants will augment supply.

Pointing out that Tamil Nadu was leading the nation in generating wind power, he said that the production now was 3700 MW.

It accounted for 80 per cent of the country’s installed capacity.

Disclosing that it was proposed to add 500 MW this year at the generation centres in the Western Ghats, Mr. Kabilan said that since the potential for harnessing wind power was enormous, the government was encouraging the setting up of wind power units in a big way.

Pointing out that the water power potential in the State has more or less been fully exploited, he said that the contribution of the Nilgiris to the hydel energy production was 10 per cent.

To a query, he claimed that the power tariff in Tamil Nadu was among the lowest.:nono:

Stating that the 18 per cent transmission loss in Tamil Nadu was the lowest in the country, Mr. Kabilan added that efforts were on to bring it down to 15 per cent. Steps were being taken to tackle the power problems in the State.

http://www.tn.gov.in/

TN govt Protal got First Price - Gold Medal - The Best govt website in India.:):)

http://thatstamil.oneindia.in/news/2008/03/18/tn-govt-website-selected-as-best-govt-website.html

May not be in Infra, but good news!

http://www.tn.gov.in/

TN govt Protal got First Price - Gold Medal - The Best govt website in India.:):)

Who is the web designer? Even a 10th Std geek can design better web sites.

Who is the web designer? Even a 10th Std geek can design better web sites.

Designed, developed and maintained by
National Informatics Centre
http://indiaimage.nic.in/

Who is the web designer? Even a 10th Std geek can design better web sites.

From your question, I guess one thing. Even If this first price TN website can be developed by 10th std student, what abt other state websites?. 9th, 8th, 7th stds.. 1st std??!

From your question, I guess one thing. Even If this first price TN website can be developed by 10th std student, what abt other state websites?. 9th, 8th, 7th stds.. 1st std??!

:lol:

Vellore to go Corporation....

TN Budget says: Vellore will be upgraded to Municipal Corporation.

More in the budget

* 3500 new buses will be purchased
* New medical colleges in Perambalur & Sivaganga
* Proposal to link all rivers in TN

Tamil Nadu proposes to set up four SEZs

Seeking to spread the benefits of industrialisation across the state, the Tamil Nadu government on Thursday proposed to set up four SEZ's in the industrially backward areas.

A Transport Engineering Goods SEZ in 255 acres at Gangaikondan in Tirunelveli District, an automobile and auto spare parts SEZ in 255 acres at Cheyyar in Tiruvannamalai district, an engineering goods SEZ in 263 acres at Perunthurai in Erode district and Leather Sector SEZ in 260 acres at Ranipet in Vellore district would be established, Finance Minister K Anbazhagan said while presenting the budget in the Tamil Nadu Assembly today.

He also said 32 SEZ proposals had been approved in Tamil Nadu, of which 29 had already been notified by the Centre.

The Government has decided to modernise the cement plant at Alangulam belonging to the Tamil Nadu Cements Corporation (TANCEM) to increase production of cement in the public sector. The modernisation would be carried out at a cost of Rs 82 crore and double the production capacity of the plant, he said.

A new Information Technology Park will be set up in Vellore by Elcot in partnership with the private sector in the coming financial year, he said.

With the state facing power crisis and the industries coming under tremendous strain due to it, the budget has proposed installation of 90 new electrical sub stations, as part of improving the power transmission and distribution of infrastructure in the state at a cost of Rs 1,720 crore.
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/News/Economy/Tamil_Nadu_proposes_to_set_up_four_SEZs/articleshow/2884034.cms

http://www.hindu.com/2008/03/20/stories/2008032059060800.htm

It will be spent on constructing 5,707 classrooms in high schools and higher secondary schools

“We explained to Mr.Chidambaram and requested him to intervene”

1,28,981 metres of compound wall will be constructed in schools that do not have one.

http://www.hindu.com/2008/03/20/stories/2008032059060800.htm

It will be spent on constructing 5,707 classrooms in high schools and higher secondary schools

“We explained to Mr.Chidambaram and requested him to intervene”

1,28,981 metres of compound wall will be constructed in schools that do not have one.

I think that Toilet facilities with water for the girl students may be the most important urgent requirement in the Govt and corporation schools.

Rotary Club and Round Table have been doing immense service by addressing this problem. Schools into Smiles project is a noble one. Govt should help them.

Tata Sons increases stake in Nagarjuna refinery project

Tata Sons has increased its stake in the 6-million-tonne refinery being set up by the Nagarjuna Group at Cuddalore in Tamil Nadu. With this, there has been a slight change in the equity holding pattern.

Against a 26 per cent stake earlier, Tata Sons Ltd will now hold a 30 per cent stake in the Rs 1,372-crore equity of the company. The other stakeholders are: Nagarjuna group with 51 per cent; Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation Ltd, a State Government undertaking, with 5 per cent; Uhde GmbH of Germany, the technical collaborator, with 4 per cent; and Suntera Resources Ltd’s 10 per cent. Earlier, Exim Bank had a 1 per cent stake and Uhde 7 per cent.

Nagarjuna Oil Corporation Ltd, the company putting up the refinery, has tied up for marketing petroleum products within the country and for crude and international marketing of products. The project cost is Rs 4,790 crore.http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2008/03/22/stories/2008032250690300.htm

TN makes its way to top 5 states in HDI

Tamil Nadu has improved its position in terms of human development index (HDI) and has entered the category of the top five states in the country, according to the Handbook on Social Welfare Statistics-2007, released recently by the Union ministry of social justice and empowerment. Maharashtra, however, has slipped from rank 3 to 4, but, in value terms of the HDI, the state has improved from 0.363 in 1981 to 0.452 in 1991 to 0.523 in 2001.

All the top five states in HDI in 2001 -- Kerala, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and Haryana -- recorded a gradual improvement in their position in value terms. However, Gujarat, which ranked 4th in 1981, slipped to the 6th position in 1991 and 2001 despite an improvement in its value terms.

Among the poorest performing states, Bihar was the lowest among 15 states, followed by Assam, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Orissa. In fact, Assam joined the rank of the lowest five in HDI in 2001 after declining from rank 10 in 1981 and 1991. Uttar Pradesh which ranked 13 in 1981 declined to 14 in 1991 and regained its earlier position in 2001. Similarly, Orissa regained its 11th position after sliding to rank 12 in 1991.

However, newer problems face many high-ranking HDI states as growing urbanisation is leading to large-scale migration and slum growth, the handbook notes. The total slum population in different urban centres across the country is 16,565,459. In the five cities of Maharashtra, Mumbai and Greater Mumbai have a slum population of 48.88% amounting to 5,823,510 people. Pune has a slum population of 20.92% amounting to 531,337 people. Nagpur 35.42% amounting to 726,664, Thane 33.32% amounting to 420,272 and Nashik 13.21% amounting to 142,234.

In Tamil Nadu, Chennai has a slum population of 17.74% amounting to 747,936, while Ahmedabad in Gujarat has a slum population of 12.51% amounting to 439,843. The Capital, Delhi, has a slum population of 18.89%.

On other human development indicators, Uttar Pradesh had the highest registered maternal mortality rate per 1,00,000 births at 539, followed by Rajasthan at 501, Orissa at 424, Madhya Pradesh at 407, Bihar at 400 and Assam at 398.

As for literacay, Kerala retained top position at 90.86%, followed by Mizoram with 88.80%, Lakshadweep 86.66%, Goa with 82.01%, Chandigarh with 81.94%, Delhi with 81.67%, Andaman & Nicobar Islands with 81.30% and Puducherry with 81.24%. http://www.financialexpress.com/news/TN-makes-its-way-to-top-5-states-in-HDI/287643/

http://www.business-standard.com/common/news_article.php?tab=r&autono=317983&subLeft=1&leftnm=1

Vishnuraam Textiles Ltd will invest Rs 100 crore for various initiatives in the financial year 2008-09, said A Annamalai, vice-chairman and CEO.

The Rs 50-crore garment manufacturing unit coming up at Kanchipuram as a joint venture with an Indonesian company is expected to commence production by August 2008. It would cater to the export market, of which the Indonesian company would absorb about 50 per cent of the products.

The unit would offer jobs to 1,000, he said. In the second half of FY09, the company would add 12,000 spindles each to the two textile mills at Vudumalaipet and Dindigul. For this, it would invest Rs 50 crore. These mills have 18,000 spindles each now.

The Tirupur unit, which makes garment accessories like labels, tags and zips, would introduce new products – Wall Hangers and Calendars – by the end of the calendar year. The cost of production of the two new items would be Rs 20 per square inch, he said.

http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2008/03/29/stories/2008032951592100.htm

March 28 Bannari Amman Apparel Pvt Ltd (BAA), the joint venture apparel production company of the Coimbatore-based Bannari Amman Group and the US private investment company Brandot International, has commissioned its modern production facility at Ozhaiyur in Kancheepuram district in Tamil Nadu.

The BAA’s plant with a 1.72-lakh sq ft floor area set on a 30-acre site is designed as a world class apparel manufacturing facility and will produce innerwear for men and women to be supplied to specialty brands and global retailers. The BAA has projected a cumulative sales of about $100 million over the next three years.

According to a communication from BAA, the fully air-conditioned manufacturing unit, designed to carry environmentally sustainable features including rain water harvesting and waste-water recycling systems, is also the first apparel unit in the country to have a Toyota production system for lean manufacturing that would provide flexibility, consistency in quality and delivery and competitive pricing to customers. The plant with stand-up modular production system with a single piece flow has double shift operation.

India needed global talent and innovation to take on China which produced a third of all garments for the US market and that can be attributed to the involvement of foreign investment and investors who brought longstanding customers, the communication quoted Mr Martin Trust as saying.
Jobs for rural women

Mr Balasubramaniam, it further said, expressed his group’s happiness in associating with Brandot in the new project which would create good job opportunities for thousands of young rural women.

BAA, by locating the unit in a rural area, is committed to the development of the region and the plant will employ 4,500 people by 2012. Most of the women workers recruited for the unit hail from nearby rural communities and hence do not have to travel long distances for work, the company communication added.

http://www.hindu.com/2008/03/31/stories/2008033157410100.htm

http://www.hindu.com/2008/04/06/stories/2008040650460100.htm

Karunanidhi to lay foundation after final nod is received from Centre









A. Raja

PERAMBALUR: The foundation for the multi-product Special Economic Zone at Perambalur will shortly be laid by Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi after final approval from the Centre, Union Minister for Communication and Information Technology A. Raja said on Saturday.

About 2,450 acres had been acquired and registered. Another 550 acres would be acquired before month-end, he told reporters after inspecting the progress of the construction of new buildings for the Bharathidasan University Constituent College and Industrial Training Institute here.

The SEZ, a joint venture of GVK Infratech Private Ltd. and TIDCO, will cater to industries such as textile/garments, leather, engineering goods, pharmaceuticals, power, IT/ITES, iron and steel, fertilizer, chemicals, petrochemicals, floriculture, horticulture, electronics and communication.

The Board of Approval of the Union Ministry of Commerce had given the project in-principle clearance, and the final approval would be obtained before July, Mr. Raja said. The SEZ might attract about Rs.5,000 crore in investments over seven years.

Mr. Raja said the State government’s approval for land acquisition for the ring road around Perambalur was expected soon.

The site for the government medical college at Perambalur would soon be identified. Furthermore, Perambalur might get a teacher training institute. A building for the Perambalur Head Post Office would be constructed after acquiring land. An office of the Postal Superintendent would also be set up.

Earlier, he inspected the construction of the building for the Bharathidasan University Constituent College, at an estimated cost of Rs.7 crore. An initial allotment of Rs.2.80 crore has been made for the project.

He also inspected the construction of the building for the Government Industrial Training Institute, sanctioned at a cost of Rs.1.50 crore.

A sum of Rs.50 lakh has been sanctioned from the MP’s Local Area Development Fund, in the first phase, for the project.

Mr. Raja said the both the buildings would be ready by May, and the institutions would function from the new buildings from the next academic year.

http://www.hindu.com/2008/04/06/stories/2008040653580400.htm

http://www.moneycontrol.com/india/news/business/jk-tyres-looking-for-land-for-greenfield-project-/09/03/333291


Tyre major JK Tyres is scouting for suitable land for a greenfield project to manufacture passenger car radial tyres.

“We are falling short of capacity and we are planning a new plant,” Mr Arun Bajoria, President, JK Tyre & Industries Ltd told Business Line.

Mr Bajoria said the company is looking for locations in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and some States in the north.

http://www.tn.gov.in/

TN govt Protal got First Price - Gold Medal - The Best govt website in India.:):)

http://thatstamil.oneindia.in/news/2008/03/18/tn-govt-website-selected-as-best-govt-website.html

May not be in Infra, but good news!

Who is the web designer? Even a 10th Std geek can design better web sites.

Designed, developed and maintained by
National Informatics Centre
http://indiaimage.nic.in/

They should fire the morons who designed the website. Try visiting the transport section of the site, it crashes Firefox due to some JVM error. Idiots who use Java applets to use cute animated buttons for simple links should be beaten with a Bata slipper.

Source : Tamil Daily Dinamalar

ரூ.15 ஆயிரம் கோடி செலவில் நாங்குனேரி சிறப்பு பொருளாதார திட்டம்: அரசு அறிவிப்பு

திருநெல்வேலி : நெல்லை அருகே நாங்குனேரியில் சிறப்பு பொருளாதார மண்டலத் திட்டம், ரூ.15 ஆயிரம் கோடி செலவில் நிறுவ திட்டமிடப்பட்டுள்ளது. இதற்கான புரிந்துணர்வு ஒப்பந்தம் இன்று முதல்வர் முன்னிலையில் கையெழுத்தானது. இத்திட்டத்தை அமல்படுத்துவதர்காக கடந்த 2001-ம் ஆண்டு முதல்வர் கருணாநிதியால் அடிக்கல் நாட்டப்பட்டது. பின் 2001 முதல் 2006-ம் ஆண்டு வரை நடந்த ஆட்சி மாற்றத்தால், இத்திட்டம் கைவிடப்பட்டதாகவும், தற்போது இத்திட்டம் புதுப்பிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளதாகவும், இத்திட்டத்தால் 70 ஆயிரம் பேருக்கு வேலைவாய்ப்பு வழங்கப்படும் எனவும் முதல்வர் கருணாநிதி தெரிவித்தார்

http://img186.imageshack.us/img186/5488/pr100408czy7.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Link courtesy: Madurai Veeran

http://www.tn.gov.in/pressrelease/pr.../pr100408c.htm

http://www.tn.gov.in/pressrelease/pr...100408_264.pdf

our netas are kings....

Just look at that ugly mo fo fat ass (Karunanidhi) sitting there like he owns everything and everybody around him. Check out the guys in suits literally bowing down for the neta's easy access to the documents. What a waste of space!

சென்னை : "தெற்கு ரயில்வேயில், இந்த ஆண்டு செய்ய வேண்டிய பணிகளுக்கு, நிதி நெருக்கடி ஏற்படாது' என, ரயில்வே இணையமைச்சர் வேலு கூறினார்.

தெற்கு ரயில்வேயில் செய்ய வேண்டிய பணிகள் குறித்து, அமைச்சர் வேலு மற்றும் ரயில்வே உயர் அதிகாரிகள் பங்கேற்ற ஆலோசனைக் கூட்டம் சென்னையில் நேற்று நடந்தது.அமைச்சர் வேலு கூறியதாவது: கடந்த ஆண்டை விட இந்த ஆண்டு தெற்கு ரயில்வே திட்டப் பணிகளுக்கு 30 சதவீதத் தொகை கூடுதலாக ஒதுக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது. சிமென்ட், இரும்பு விலை உயர்ந்துள்ளதால், இத்திட்டங்களை எப்படி செயல்படுத்துவது என்று பேசி முடிவு எடுக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது. இந்த ஆண்டு அகல ரயில்பாதை, இரு வழிப்பாதை மற்றும் புதிய ரயில்பாதை என, மொத்தம் 609 கி.மீ., தூரம் பாதைப் பணிகள் முடிக்கப்படும். பட்ஜெட்டில் ரூ.543 கோடி ஒதுக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது. இதனால், நிதி நெருக்கடி இருக்காது. செங்கோட்டை - கொல்லம், திண்டுக்கல் -பாலக்காடு -கோவை, மதுரை - போடிநாயக்கனூர், கொல்லம் - திருச்செந்தூர், மயிலாடுதுறை - காரைக்குடி, திருவாரூர் - நாகூர் - காரைக்கால், விழுப்புரம் - திண்டுக்கல் (இரண்டாவது பாதை), திருவாரூர் - நாகூர் - காரைக்கால் அகல ரயில்பாதை பணிகள், 2011-12ம் ஆண்டில் முடிவடையும். புனலூர் - கொல்லம், மதுரை - திண்டுக்கல் (இரண்டாவது பாதை), இருகூர் - கோவை (இரண்டாவது பாதை), விழுப் புரம் - காட்பாடி அகல ரயில்பாதை பணிகள் இந்த ஆண்டு முடிந்து விடும். விழுப்புரம் - மயிலாடுதுறை அகல ரயில் பாதை, டிசம்பரில் முடிந்துவிடும். செங்கல்பட்டு - விழுப்புரம் இரண்டாவது ரயில் பாதை, 2010-11ம் ஆண்டில் முடிவடையும்.

அகல ரயில்பாதை மின் மயமாக்கும் பணியில், விழுப்புரம் - லால்குடி இடையே பணி முடிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது, இந்த ஆண்டு இறுதிக்குள் திருச்சி வரை மின்மயமாக்கப் படும். அடுத்த ஆண்டு திருச்சி -மதுரை இடையே மின்மயமாக்கப்படும். அதன் பிறகு மதுரை - தூத்துக்குடி, மணியாச்சி-நாகர் கோவில் இடையே ரூ.146 கோடியில் மின்மயமாக்கப்படும். சென்னையில் வேளச்சேரி - பரங்கிமலை இடையே ஐந்து கி.மீ., தூரம் மேம்பால ரயில்பாதை 495 கோடி ரூபாய் செலவில் அமைக்கப்பட உள்ளது. இதில் மூன்றரை கி.மீ., தூரம் பாதை ஒன்றரை வருடத்தில் முடிக்கப்படும். மீதம் உள்ள ஒன்றரை கி.மீ., பாதை அமைக்கும் இடங்களில் நிறைய வீடுகள், கட்டடங்கள் இருப்பதால் ஐந்து வருடங்கள் ஆகும். வில்லிவாக்கம் ரயில்வே மேம்பாலம் ஒரு ஆண்டில் கட்டி முடிக்கப்படும். இவ்வாறு வேலு கூறினார்.

http://www.dinamalar.com/2008apr11/frontpage-news.asp?newsid=3

Summary :

Mr. Velu says, TN SR projects will not face budget issues, as enough funds have been allocated.

609 kms works will be finished this yr.

Chengotai - Kollam, DGL - MDU, MDU-BDNK, Kollam - Thiruchendur, Mayiladurthurai - KKDI, Thiruvarur - Nagore- KKL, VLpuram - DGL doubling, will be over by 2010-11.

Punallur - Kollam, MDU - DGL doubling, Kovai - Irugur, VLupuram - Katpadi, - This yr. (which Month??!)

VLP - Mayiladuthurai - This dec end.

Reg Electrification :

Villupuram - Lalgudi Electification is over so far. Lalgudi - TRY this yr end.

TRY - MDU - Next yr end.

MDU - Tuti, Maniyachi - NGL will be taken after that.

Velacheri - Mount - 5Kms, 3.5 kms will be over in 1.5 yrs.

Remaining 1.5kms will take 5 yrs to finish. (What a truth guys!!):bash::bash:

Villivakkam bridge will be over in one yr.

Vlupuram - Chengalpat doubling 2010-11.

http://img186.imageshack.us/img186/5488/pr100408czy7.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Link courtesy: Madurai Veeran

http://www.tn.gov.in/pressrelease/pr.../pr100408c.htm

http://www.tn.gov.in/pressrelease/pr...100408_264.pdf

Disgusting. Unbelievable in this day and age. Why cant the idiot move his ass. We should not elect such people.

http://www.hindu.com/2008/04/12/stories/2008041254860700.htm


Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has accepted in principle the suggestion of Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi that the Chennai-Bangalore highway be declared an industrial corridor. In his April 1 letter, a copy of which was released by the Tamil Nadu government on Friday, Dr. Singh said the highway had the potential of getting developed into an industrial corridor.

If this was extended up to Mumbai, the benefits would be more. After consulting the State governments concerned, the Centre would come out with a policy in this regard. In October, the Chief Minister wrote to the Prime Minister following the Centre’s announcement of making New Delhi–Mumbai an industrial corridor.

Just look at that ugly mo fo fat ass (Karunanidhi) sitting there like he owns everything and everybody around him. Check out the guys in suits literally bowing down for the neta's easy access to the documents. What a waste of space!
he is just too old and people of tn wanted him as cm. blame that bowing down to indian culture. and you haven't seen the other cm from this state. people cover their mouths when they are close to her and prostrate before her.

They should fire the morons who designed the website. Try visiting the transport section of the site, it crashes Firefox due to some JVM error. Idiots who use Java applets to use cute animated buttons for simple links should be beaten with a Bata slipper.

with a torn bata slipper :)

The award was presented by the union minister for IT. whattey surprise!!

http://www.tn.gov.in/
http://www.tn.gov.in/pressrelease/archives/pr2008/pr070208/award1.jpg

Gentlemen, If you have any problem with a Website ,write to the webmaster thro' feedback. I am sick of you guys passing negative comments all the time. Do something useful to the society.

LOL @ BATA slipper! Hahahahahhahahaha

Seven minor ports part of Tamil Nadu vision plan (http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2008/04/13/stories/2008041350940300.htm)


The Tamil Nadu Government plans to set up a chain of seven minor ports to catalyse industrial development across the State.

Addressing the CII TN Vision Summit, the Electricity Minister, Mr Arcot N. Veeraswamy, said the State Government has initiated the process of bringing in private investments for the minor ports, which are to come up at Cheyyur, Marakannam, Manappad, Thirukuvallai, Cuddalore, Thirukadaiyur, and Ennore, where the Cabinet has approved L&T’s project to set up a Rs 1,200-crore ship building and port project, the Minister said.

Minor ports are a key infrastructure in the context of the massive investments planned in power generation capacities. Most of the power plants would depend on coal imported from Indonesia and Australia, and an extensive port infrastructure would facilitate such investments.

Merchant Power Projects

The State Government will soon clear proposals submitted by ten companies to set up a total of over 17,400 MW of merchant power projects. An additional 25,000 MW of generation capacity proposed by 15 other companies would also be considered in a few months’ time. These together would account for about 32,000 MW of merchant power projects.

A Rs 25,000-crore Transmission Corporation would be set up to strengthen the infrastructure with Rs 10,000-crore assistance from the Centre, and from financial institutions. IL&FS has evinced interest in investing Rs 10,000 crore in the project. This would help the companies transmit power to the national grid.

With the Centre committing to support solar power projects — it has fixed a power tariff of Rs 15 a unit and agreed to provide a subsidy of Rs 12 with the State Government providing Rs 3 — the Tamil Nadu Government will encourage windmill owners to set up solar power generation facilities on the wind farms.

A State Government team had visited Germany and arranged for bringing in technology that would involve investments of over Rs 14 crore a MW.

Gentlemen, If you have any problem with a Website ,write to the webmaster thro' feedback. I am sick of you guys passing negative comments all the time. Do something useful to the society.

Agree with Leo!..

Mods,

There are lot of unwanted quotes nowadays and it is not related to TN Economy and Infrastructure as the thread title says.

Request to remove all unwanted comments which is not relevant to the thread, discussion and maintain the thread with high level spirit as usual.

The possibility of global beer giants entering Tamil Nadu, one of the fastest growing markets in the country, may be thwarted once again. Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (Tasmac), which came out with a tender calling for interest from outside breweries for supplying into the state, has also put up conditions that may keep out brands like Carlsberg, Budweiser, Beck’s and Tiger.

It is believed that Tasmac has put up a clause that any new brand coming into the state should have been present in India for the two immediately preceding years and sold at least 1.5 lakh cases.

This is expected to hurt the plans of Carlsberg, Tiger and Beck’s, and probably keep only Foster’s and Cobra in contention. In the recent past, Tamil Nadu has attracted significant FDI in several sectors. It is also a manufacturing hub for several automobile giants like Ford, Hyundai, BMW and Renault.

At present, several global and Indian beers are not sold in the state as Tamil Nadu does not allow sale of brands that are not locally brewed. This leaves the market only in the hands of three local breweries, two of which are controlled by UB and the third one being an associate of Mohan Meakin. Tamil Nadu is among the top three domestic guzzlers, with sales touching nearly 18 million cases, jumping 15-20% in FY08.

The industrialised face of Tamil Nadu had prompted all global beer giants to submit their tender documents seeking entry into the state, but has been refused registration citing the rules. It is now believed that Tasmac may relook into the matter in its next board meeting scheduled for the last week of April.

Industry observers are dismayed at Tasmac criteria for registering leading global brands. “It is completely out of sync with what is happening in the state, where there is more prosperity and discretionary disposable income. A global brand like Carlsberg or Bud should not be dealt this way,” said an industry source.http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/News/News_By_Industry/Cons_Products/Global_beer_brands_to_stay_out_in_Tamil_Nadu/articleshow/2949566.cms

CII TN region estimate.

GSDP of Tamil Nadu 2006-07 Rs 2.5 Lakhs Crores... Per Capita around $ 1250

CII TN region forecast.

GSDP of Tamil Nadu 2024-25 Rs 11.5 Lakhs Crores... Per Capita around $ 5750

http://img73.imageshack.us/img73/7157/006mq8.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://www.hindu.com/2008/04/16/stories/2008041655971500.htm

A plant is likely to come up at Ambarnath near Mumbai and we are scouting for a location for our second plant which could be in Gujarat, Karnataka or Tamil Nadu.”

---------------------------------------------------------------------
Both Ceat and JK Tyre are considering TN as one of the possible location for the tyre plant. Hope we can get atleast one of them.

Plan to make chennai, coimbatore and madurai slum free by 2013 (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Chennai/Plan_to_make_Chennai_slum-free_by_2013/articleshow/2955373.cms)

CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu Slum Clearance Board has drawn up a programme to make Chennai, Coimbatore and Madurai, slum-free by 2013. In an announcement in the Assembly on Tuesday, slum clearance and accommodation control minister Suba Thangavelan said the board would construct over 60,000 houses under various schemes in urban areas in the next three years at a total cost of Rs 2,000 crore.

Under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM), the board has drawn up an ambitious programme to rehouse/resettle all families living in slums in three cities.

As part of the programme, the State government proposes to construct 35,270 tenements as "integrated townships" in the three mega cities at a cost of Rs 1,208 crore.

In Chennai, the townships will come up at Ezhil Nagar, Perumbakkam I and II. In Coimbatore, it will be at Ukkadam and Amman Kulam. In Madurai, the township will be built at Periyar Nagar.

Under the specific needs grants of the XII finance commission, the government proposes to construct 15,000 tenements in Chennai and other towns and take up repair and renovation for 32,000 families till 2010. A total amount of Rs 12.75 crore has been sanctioned for development projects in 27 heritage towns.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Cities/TN_tops_in_ratings_for_tech_studies/articleshow/2960859.cms

http://www.newkerala.com/one.php?action=fullnews&id=48677

New Delhi, April 16 : Tata Teleservices, a mobile service provider under the CDMA technology, Wednesday obtained frequencies to roll out operations under rival GSM segment in Tamil Nadu circle.

The Mumbai-based operator received start-up spectrum of 4.4 mega hertz (MHz), official sources said.

Tata Teleservices has applied for GSM spectrum for rolling out its network in the entire country.

The Department of Telecommunications has so far allotted start-up spectrum to Videocon-promoted Datacom, Idea Cellular, Unitech, Swan Telecom and Ruias-owned Loop Telecom in the Tamil Nadu circle.

http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2008/04/19/stories/2008041950581100.htm

Oceanic Edibles International Ltd, part of the Chennai-based shrimp hatcheries major Oceanaa Group, is setting up a full-fledged marine food products, vegetables and fruits processing plant and aseptic packaging unit — at an investment outlay of Rs 90 crore.........

http://www.newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp?ID=IET20080419002948&Page=T&Title=Southern+News+-+Tamil+Nadu&Topic=0

NAGERCOIL: A three-member experts team headed by APVN Sarma, secretary, Department of Shipping and Road Transport, Government of India, K Suresh, chairman, Chennai Port Trust and Srivastava, joint secretary, Ministry of Shipping, visited the Colachel mother port (container terminal port ) site at Colachel in Kanyakumari district and carried out preliminary inspection of the site, here on Friday.

Briefing reporters after inspecting the site, Sarma said that as government has taken a policy decision to set up a mother container terminal, a private agency has been hired to study and submit a feasibility and technical study report.

While noting that about 2,000 acres of coastal land may be needed to set up the major harbour project, he said that the project when completed would be one of the eight major harbours in the world, where international cargo will be handled and it will emerge as a one of the major transit ports in the Indian Ocean.

While observing that care will be taken to set up the project in phases, without any disturbance to the tsunami shelter colonies of the coastal hamlets of Kanyakumari district such as Colachel and Singaravelar Colony, the secretary said that the private agency would submit a study report to the government after which the project implementation would be taken up.

Kanyakumari District Collector Jyothi Nirmala said that only after the feasibility report is generated the government can decide whether it will be a joint venture exercise by the State and Union Governments

CHENNAI: Crossing the railway tracks in Tambaram Sanatorium and a host of places across the State will become easier in the near future. An agreement that will pave way for speedy completion of railway over/under bridges in Tamil Nadu has been signed between the State government and the Southern Railway.

Though as many as 209 ROB/RUBs have been sanctioned over the period of three years, a majority of bridges are still to make any progress. Due to the heavy compensation demanded by Railways for its land, there has been considerable delay in acquiring the railway lands by the State for constructing service roads for the ROB/RUBs.

For instance, the State government almost gave up its Tambaram–Velacheri and Tambaram Sanatorium rail over-bridge projects as Southern Railway demanded market rate for its portion of the land. The State government expressed its inability to pay such a huge amount as it said that the cost of the project was less than the price demanded by Southern Railway.

This was then brought to the notice of Minister of State for Railways R.Velu, who convened a meeting of State Highways Department and Southern Railway officials in Delhi recently. At the meeting it had been decided that Southern Railway should not demand market rate for its land but collect a minimum lease charge known as “way leave facility” from the State for the land. The ownership of the land will continue to be with Southern Railway. In cases where such an agreement is not possible, the State will compensate by providing equal land in some other places to Southern Railway. Now work on these two projects started again.

Another reason for the delay in completing ROB/RUB projects, according to the Minister, is the involvement of two or more agencies in constructing the bridges. Now it had been decided to hand over the entire project to a single agency such as IRCON and Tamil Nadu Road Development Company which would take up the entire work. About 30 to 40 ROB/RUBs will be given to each of these agencies and Southern Railway will take the rest of the projects. The aim is to achieve completion of 40 to 50 over/under bridges as against 5 to 8 in a year.

Southern Railway and the State Highways Department agreed to meet frequently and monitor the progress of ROB/RUB projects, according to a railway official here.

Source: http://www.hindu.com/2008/04/21/stories/2008042154120400.htm

http://www.business-standard.com/common/news_article.php?tab=r&autono=320752&subLeft=1&leftnm=1

Infrastructure development company Marg Constructions has been selected by the Tamil Nadu government to develop a minor port at Cheyur in Tamil Nadu.

Marg Constructions sources confirmed that the company would invest around Rs 1,000 crore and would likely fund the project through a special purpose vehicle (SPV). The port will commence operations in 48 months.
A senior official close to the development told Business Standard that the new port was likely to supply coal for the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board (TNEB)’s 4,000 Mw power plant coming up near Cheyur at a cost of Rs 16,000 crore.

Two weeks ago, state electricity minister Arcot N Veerasamy had told the Tamil Nadu assembly that “wherever possible, the state government will develop small ports in the state. These ports will be transshipment points for the proposed ‘Transmission Corporation’, which is likely to produce 7,000-8,000 Mw of electricity annually.”

He added that the state government would establish the Transmission Corporation at an investment of Rs 20,000 crore to take up work relating to transmission network development and power sales.

The Corporation will take care of development of evacuation facilities before the merchant power projects and ultra mega power projects are commissioned.

This will be the second port project awarded to Marg Constructions in the southern region. In 2006, the Puducherry government had selected Marg Constructions to build a port at Karaikal, one of the four administrative regions of the Union Territory of Pondicherry. The port is likely to start commercial operations in the first quarter of 2009.

An SPV called ‘Karaikal Port Pvt Ltd’ has been created by Marg Constructions to set up the project. The SPV has invested Rs 416 crore in Phase I of the project, of which Rs 302 crore has been raised in debt funding. At the end of Phase I, the port will be capable of handling 4 million tonnes of cargo annually.
Chennai-based public sector bank Indian Bank is leading a lender consortium comprising Oriental Bank of Commerce, State Bank of Hyderabad, Corporation Bank, Allahabad Bank and India Infrastructure Finance Company to implement the Karaikal

http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2008/04/25/stories/2008042551012300.htm

The 1,320-MW Cuddalore thermal power project today received the Tamil Nadu Electricity Regulatory Commission’s clearance, according to an official press release.

The Cuddalore Power Corporation, part of the BGR Group, which is to set up the Rs 6,000-crore project, envisages establishment of a power plant, exclusive coal jetty to handle imported coal and a captive desalination plant. The project, spread over 1,000 acres is to come up at Thyagavalli and Kudikadu villages in Cuddalore district.

The commission has approved a capital cost of Rs 6,004 crore – Rs 4.55 crore an MW. This compares favourably with the recently commissioned projects of the National Thermal Power Corporation at Barh, SIPAT and North Karanpura ranging between Rs 4.55 crore and Rs 4.71 crore a MW.

The project is to be executed in 5 years, and the commission has directed the company to achieve financial closure within 12 months.

http://www.hindu.com/2008/04/27/stories/2008042753100300.htm

CHENNAI: A high-level committee has identified Colachel as a hub for major trans-shipment containers, and a feasibility report is expected to be ready within three months.

The committee members—the Secretary, Shipping, the Joint Secretary, Ports, and Chairman and Managing Director of Sethusamudram Corporation K. Suresh—recently visited Colachel and Manavalakuruchi as directed by the Union Minister for Shipping, Road Transport and Highways and held discussions with Kanyakumari Collector B. Jothi Nirmala, State Port Officer Capt. Sainath, the municipal chairman and prominent citizens of the area.

“Colachel, which is situated on the southern tip of the country, can handle mainline vessels because of the availability of a 15-metre draft within 1 km from the coast and its proximity to international maritime vessel routes between Europe and the Far East. However, we are making efforts at converting the minor port into a major one,” Mr. Suresh told The Hindu.

He said the site identified at Manavalakuruchi is 3 km east of the Colachel minor port and 2 km away from the finger jetty. Colachel can handle up to 5 million Twenty Foot Equivalent Units (TEUs) of trans-shipment containers.

“It is possible to develop the trans-shipment hub between the jetty and the Valliar, as it has a continuous coastline of 2.5 km. We require a minimum of 2,000 acres for creating the trans-shipment hub and have sought land from the State Government to convert it into a major port. The nearest railhead is 8 km from the site,” he said.

WAPCOS, a public sector undertaking, has been asked to prepare the feasibility report on the trans-shipment hub within the next three months.

“Soon after that, we will move the State Government seeking land allotment. A Malaysian firm has already indicated that the project is feasible. The committee members are satisfied with the potential of Colachel. However, a final decision will be taken after the report is submitted,” Mr. Suresh said.

http://www.hindu.com/2008/04/28/stories/2008042853060500.htm

http://www.deccan.com/Business/Business.asp#Taiwan%20in%20talks%20with%20AP%20for%202,500%20acre%20SEZ

Taiwanese are also talking to the governments of West Bengal and Tamil Nadu to set up similar SEZs there there. Taiwanese officials are also discussing the MoU on avoidance of double taxation with India. Although both countries have reached an agreement, the MoU has not been formalised yet.

MRF to set up radial tyre factory in Perambalur district

CHENNAI: Tyre Major MRF is to set up a new radial tyre factory in the backward Perambalur district of Tamil Nadu, besides expanding its capacity at its Chennai and Arakonam units.

A MOU in this regard was signed by the company with the Tamil Nadu government, an official press release said today.

In the first phase of project, 3.50 lakh tyres would be manufactured at the Perambalur unit, which would go to seven lakhs in the second stage.

The programme would cost the company Rs.900 crore and would provide direct employment to 2500 persons in the first phase and to 5000 in the second phase, it said.

MRF chairman K M Memon and State Industries Secretary M O H Farooki signed the MOU in the presence of the Chief Minister M Karunanidhi, the release added.

T R Baalu Did it again for TN

3 More projects got approval in NHDP III

Projects granted Approval in the 14th meeting of the PPPAC

Four laning of Jorhat-Demow section from Km 453 to 534.8(part of Nagaon-Dirbugah section) of NH 37 in the State of Assam under SARDP-NE Phase A on BOT(Annuity) basis

4/6 laning of Ghaziabad_Aligarh section (Uttar Pradesh) of NH 91under NHDP Phase III on BOT Basis.

4/6 laning of Amritsar_Pathankot Section from KM 6.082 to KM 108.502 of NH 15 Under NHDP Phase III on BOT Basis.

4 Laning of Bhubaneswar_Puri section from Km 0 to Km 59 of NH 203 Under NHDP Phase III on BOT Basis.

6 Laning of Kishangarh-Ajmer_Beawar Section from KM 364.125 to KM 58.245 of NH 8 on BOT Basis

Four laning of Trichy Karaikkudi section of NH-210 (km 10.000 to km 94.000) and Trichy Bypass (ch 109.558 to ch 135.390) in the State of Tamil Nadu under NHDP Phase III on BOT basis.

Four laning of Karaikkudi-Ramanathapuram section of NH-210 (101 kms)in the State of Tamil Nadu under NHDP Phase III on BOT basis.

Four laning of Baihata Chariali to Tejpur Section of NH-52 (Km 0.00 to km 130.00) in the State of Assam under NHDP Phase III on BOT basis.

4 lanaing of Tirupati -Tiruthani-Chennai section of NH 205 from km 274.800 to km 341.600 in Andhra Pradesh and km 0 to 59.60 in Tamil Nadu Under NHDP Phase III on BOT Basis.

4 lanaing of Kundapur to Suratkal section( Km 284 to 358) and Mangalore-Kerala border section(km 375.300 to 376.700 and from Km3.700 to 17.200) of NH 17 Under NHDP Phase III on BOT Basis.

http://frontierindia.com/pppac-approves-ppp-projects-worth-rs-7946-crores

CHENNAI: Murugappa Group of Companies will invest Rs 1,300 crore in the current fiscal for the expansion of various companies of the group.

EID Parry would get the lions share of Rs 350 crore for capacity expansion followed by a distillery unit, coming up at Sivaganga, at a cost of Rs 250 crore, Murugappa Group Vice Chairman and Director (Strategy) A Vellayan told reporters here today.

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/News_by_Industry/Murugappa_to_invest_Rs_1300_crore/articleshow/3012627.cms

TN govt to sign 25 MoUs for Rs 30,000 cr investment in 2008

Chennai, May 05: With the investment climate buoyant , the Tamil Nadu government will sign 25 Memoranda of Understandings (MoUs)attracting an investment of more than Rs 30,000 crore in 2008, Local Administration Minister M K Stalin Monday told the state Assembly.

Moving the demand for Grant for Industries, he said the vision of the state government was to make Tamil Nadu the hub for Global manufacturing. Observing that the state had already emerged as the hub for automobile and auto component industries, electronic hardware and software, he said the government has so far signed 14 MoUs bringing an investment to the tune of Rs 18,483 crore, providing direct and indirect employment to nearly 1.50 lakh people.

Quoting the report of the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE), Mr Stalin said the investments in the pipeline in the state shot upto Rs 157,903 crore in April 2001 from Rs 90,650 crore in May 1996. In June 2006 it stood at Rs 173,529 crore, before rising to Rs 348,704 crore in March this year.

'The incremental investment committed in Tamil Nadu from July 2006 to March 2008 was Rs 175,175 crore. This was an increase of more than than 100 per cent in the pipeline of investments in the last two years'', he said, quoting the CMIE report. To attract more investments, the governemnt would provide special attention to southern districts by taking up projects like four-laning of National Highay from Madurai to Tuticorin and Madurai to Tirunelveli, besides expanding the Madurai and Tuticorin airports.

''Steps will be taken with the help of the Centre to improve the efficiency of the Tuticorin Port by introducing mechanisation and improving the draught to enable berthing of ships carrying larger cargo load'', he said and added that the state would take up with the Centre provision of international connectivity to Madurai and Tuticorin airports.

Mr Stalin said SIPCOT would also be developing four to five Industrial Estates with 1000-2000 acres of land at strategic locations to convert South Tamil Nadu as an Industrial destination for investors in India and abroad.

http://www.chennaionline.com/colnews/newsitem.asp?NEWSID=%7B5FEFE183-D5A1-4F49-A361-413D7B7C6A97%7D&CATEGORYNAME=CHN

TN targets Rs 50000 cr IT exports

The Tamil Nadu government has set a target to double its IT exports to nearly Rs 50,000 crore from the present Rs 28,965 crore. The government will soon announce a new policy for the IT industry, said MK Stalin, state local administration minister, during a debate in the Assembly on Monday.

He added that the policy that had already been cleared by the Cabinet envisages doubling of IT exports from the state and also employment opportunities to 800,000 from 400,000 now.

Stalin, speaking for his father and Chief Minister M Karunanidni, said IT exports from Tamil Nadu crossed the Rs 28,000-crore mark last year and stood at Rs 28,965 crore.

http://www.business-standard.com/common/news_article.php?leftnm=lmnu2&subLeft=1&autono=322027&tab=r

Incentives for industrial projects in southern districts

CHENNAI: The State government will offer a host of special incentives to investors setting up industrial projects in southern districts, Local Administration and Rural Development Minister M.K. Stalin told the Assembly on Monday.

At present, incentives are given to the manufacturing sector for investments over Rs.250 crore. In the southern districts [Madurai, Theni, Dindigul, Sivaganga, Ramanathapuram, Virudhunagar, Tirunelveli, Tuticorin and Kanyakumari], the concessions will be given if more than Rs.50 crore is invested.

If the investment is between Rs.50 crore to Rs.100 crore, the amount industrial units will pay towards Value Added Tax [and Central Sales Tax] for three years will be treated as a seven-year-long soft loan, carrying 0.1 per cent interest. Units investing between Rs.100 crore and Rs.200 crore will be entitled to a similar loan for remittances they make in four years. Those investing between Rs.200 crore and Rs.250 crore will also get such a loan for the payment that the units would make in five years.

Outright grants

Besides, if the value of investment in the southern districts is in the range of Rs.250 crore to Rs.1,500 crore, tax incentives will be given as outright grants. At present, they are being given in the form of soft loans.

http://www.hindu.com/2008/05/06/stories/2008050659920500.htm

http://www.tn.gov.in/policynotes/pdf/industries.pdf

:cheers:
PETROLEUM CHEMICALS AND PETROCHEMICALS INVESTMENT REGION.

A proposal has been prepared by TIDCO to establish a Petroleum, Chemicals and Petrochemicals Investment Region (PCPIR) in Cuddalore and Nagapattinam district of Tamilnadu as per the PCPIR policy launched by Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers, Government of India. The proposal is awaiting Government of India clearance. The PCPIR proposal sent to Govt. of India includes investment of Rs.6,189.00 crores by Govt. of India and State Government in Road, Rail and Marine development and utilities source creation in the designated areas in the Cuddalore and Nagapattinam District.

Sanmar told to seek fresh clearance for Mettur thermal plant

The Tamil Nadu state environment appellate authority has ordered Chemplast Sanmar Ltd, a unit of the Chennai-based Sanmar Group, to stop construction of a coal-fired thermal power plant at Mettur for violating norms, and directed it to seek fresh approval from the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB).
Chemplast, which makes piping systems and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) can appeal against the appellate authority’s order in the state high court.
If it decides to comply with the order, the company would have to seek approval from TNPCB after holding a public hearing and conducting an environment impact assessment, or EIA to determine the ecological and social effects of the project. The state environment authority would then refer the case to the Union environment ministry for approval.
Chemplast “is studying all the options that are available with it to restore the original consent given by TNPCB so that the construction activities in the co-generation plant could be completed and the power and steam generation using imported coal is commissioned,” P.S. Jayaraman, the company’s managing director, said in an email response.
Chemplast started work on the Rs230 crore, 50MW coal-based thermal plant in February 2007 to feed power to its five factories at Mettur, though it only had approval for a less-polluting 48.5MW sulphur-based fuel conversion plant estimated at Rs45 crore, as reported by Mint on 7 May.
The appellate authority’s order is unlikely to affect power supply to Chemplast’s five units because the company’s existing power plant is still operational.

source livemint.com (http://www.livemint.com/2008/05/12011032/Sanmar-told-to-seek-fresh-clea.html)

http://newspostindia.com/report-53966

Officials of the Tamil Nadu industries department, located on the Coromandel Coast, are known as 'investment whalers' - they coax industrial houses to set up units in the state.

Whaling is different from fishing. Whalers need to be extra cautious while spotting, pursuing or finally hunting down a mammal. And that's why the simile applies to the officials.

'Original equipment manufacturers (OEM) are like whales. We keep our eyes and ears open to spot this whale moving around in search of a new home. Pursuing it, we coax it to come ashore,' said M. Velmurugan, director of Guidance Bureau, Tamil Nadu's single window agency that promotes investment.

Post-1990, Tamil Nadu has been a successful investment whaler that successfully spotted many industrial houses and made them come and set up units in the state. Now many companies like Ford, Hyundai, Renault, Nissan, BMW, Mitsubishi, Nokia, Motorola, Samsung and Feng Tay have their business units in the state.

In a policy note tabled in the state assembly, the government said it has plans to sign 30 memorandums of understanding (MoUs) with investors in 2008 involving an investment of Rs.300 billion ($7.5 billion).

In the last two years, the state signed 14 MoUs involving an investment of Rs.184 billion and most of the agreements were successfully converted into projects.

Districts like Chennai, Madurai, Sivakasi, Trichy, Coimbatore, Tirupur, Erode and Thanjavur are leading the industrial saga of the state.

'Our approach is to have a balanced growth across the state with appropriate fiscal incentives,' said industries secretary M.F. Farooqui.

The state may also come to be known as a major shipbuilding hub with real estate major Larsen and Toubro deciding to build a shipyard near Chennai, he added.

In selecting an investment destination, investors consider many factors like production, political stability, industrial policy stability, fiscal incentives, connectivity and others. An investor also looks at social infrastructure.

'The higher the investment, the deeper will be the due diligence and we should be ready for that,' said Velmurugan.

According to Farooqui, if Tamil Nadu has become a preferred investment destination, it is the culmination of various developmental works carried out in the past. Successive governments' pro-industry policies and creation of infrastructure - industrial estates, software parks and building of land banks - seem to have produced a good environment for the overall industrial growth.

In the state industrial policy, the government has announced its vision for generating two million jobs by 2011. The government also plans to raise the contribution of gross state domestic product (GSDP) from the manufacturing sector to 27 percent from 21 percent and double the state's annual exports.

Another ambitious project of the state was a 2,000-acre nano-technology park that will be developed by the State Industries Promotion Corporation of Tamil Nadu (Sipcot). The park will house hi-tech manufacturing in semiconductor foundries, chip assembly and testing, opto-electronics, solar cell technologies and nano-technology units.

Farooqui added that Tamil Nadu would promote corridors of excellence. In the first phase, the Chennai-Manali-Ennore corridor (When was this announced ?) and the Chengalpattu-Sriperumbudur-Ranipet corridor will be developed into industrial corridors of excellence with special economic zones (SEZs), industrial and IT parks, and research and development/educational institutions.

CII unveils agenda for TN

Chennai, May 12

The Confederation of Indian Industry in Tamil Nadu will focus on skill development, agro business and rural development, healthcare and building inclusive cities, said Mr Manikam Ramaswami, Chairman, CII – TN State Council for 2008-09.

Addressing a press conference, Mr Ramaswami, said that CII’s members account for 38 per cent of the State’s GDP, estimated at about $300 billion on purchasing power parity basis. CII recognises its role in contributing to the industrial development and growth of the State.
Focus areas

Its focus areas for the year not only relate to industrial development, but take into account its social responsibility and recognise the importance of the primary sector as much as the manufacturing sector.

Sustainable approach would be the common factor in CII’s theme of competitiveness, inclusive growth and innovative approach. Agribusiness and supporting agriculture would be among its main focus areas and it hopes to address issues such as mechanisation, post harvest infrastructure, creation of modern marketing yards and information dissemination.
Skill development

In skill development, CII hopes to set up four training centres in Madurai for lift operators and truck drivers; at Tiruchi for welding operators; Coimbatore for machine operators; and at Chennai for construction workers.

These would be in addition to its initiatives in soft skills training for teachers and students, and upgrading the skills of the unskilled to help them get jobs in areas like e-publishing, BPO, healthcare and hospitality industry.

Universal healthcare is a widespread demand in the State and CII plans to initiate novel approaches through public-private partnership.

Mr C.K. Ranganathan, Vice-Chairman, CII-Tamil Nadu, said CII is expanding its presence in the State through new district level offices to enable bringing its support and services closer to the industry members.

With the expanding presence CII would also look at increasing its membership base. It has grown from 560 members in 2001-02 to over 1,037 in 2007-08 and will work towards increasing this number, he added.

http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2008/05/13/stories/2008051350992100.htm

http://www.newkerala.com/one.php?action=fullnews&id=59740

http://newstodaynet.com/newsindex.php?id=7436%20&%20section=6

http://newstodaynet.com/newsindex.php?id=7426%20&%20section=9

Chennai: The signs of IT expansion beyond Chennai have started with the Tamil Nadu government’s initiatives to promote tier-II cities as IT hubs.
Under its IT/ITeS SEZ development plan, Electronic Corporation of Tamil Nadu (Elcot) is setting up nine IT SEZs in Tamil Nadu, developing 1 million sq ft space at an estimated cost of Rs 28,000-30,000 crore - one each at Perumbakkam village and Sholinganallur near Chennai, two in Madurai, and one each at Tiruchirapalli (Trichy), Krishnagiri, Salem, Coimbatore and Tirunelveli. Leading

IT product and services companies and ITeS majors have shown interest in leasing operating space at these SEZs, said Tamil Nadu IT secretary C. Chandramouli.
BPO company Sutherland has selected the IT park at Tirunelveli, sources said.

Others, who have shown interest in the 500-acre Tiruneveli IT park, include: Pune-based Syntel, US Technologies, HCL Technologies, Tessolve, Hexaware, AES Technologies, Orange Scape, Take Solutions and Accel Frontline, they said.
The Tirunelveli park, which is expected to become operational by June this year, will create 1 lakh jobs. HCL Technologies, Satyam, Sify, Sutherland and Cognizant Technologies also plan to operate out of the 200-acre IT SEZ at Perumbakkam near Chennai.
Wipro Technologies is already functioning out of a 4,000-seater facility at Perumbakkam.

http://news.in.msn.com/business/article.aspx?cp-documentid=1292172

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu has become one of the major destinations of foreign direct investments in the country, state Commissioner for Industries and Director Industries Development, Rajiv Ranjan said on Tuesday.

"In the last two years, around Rs 19,000 crore worth of foreign direct investments have been made (in the state) and around 1,40,000 employments generated" he told reporters here.

When asked whether any specific target had been set to attract more FDIs into the State, he said, "It is an ongoing process. However, Tamil Nadu has a conducive atmosphere to attract more FDIs".

Earlier, participating in a workshop organised on 'Rajiv Gandhi Udyami Mitra Yojna (RGUMY)', a scheme for promotion and handholding of micro and small enterprises launched by the Centre recently, Ranjan said RGUMY should be networked.

"Through 'networking', one can access how many entrepreneurs are present in the country and it would also be able to understand which part of country has large number of entrepreneurs," Rajiv said.

In Tamil Nadu about five schemes have been sanctioned recently, and similarly, Rajiv Gandhi Udyami Mitra Yojna scheme would also take the lead, he hoped.

The commissioner also expressed concern that considering the growing entrepreneurs, "decentralisation of Udyami Mitras (the agencies involved in selecting the right enterprise/firm for the RGUMY scheme) should be there, so that, tier-II and tier-III Udyami Mitras, can be handled at the state level".

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/News/Economy/%20Finance/TN_a_major_destination_for_attracting_FDI/articleshow/3037180.cms

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu has been badly affected by the ban on poultry imports due to bird flu and plans to set up a sterile poultry zone, free from the avian virus to resume exports of poultry products from the state.

Though no cases of avian virus have been reported, Tamil Nadu’s poultry exports were badly hit by the ban after outbreak of the virus in West Bengal.

Replying to a debate on demands for grants pertaining to her ministry, state animal husbandry minister P Geethajeevan said the zone would fulfil regulations of the World Trade Organisation and International Organisation for protecting animals from diseases.

She said the state was maintaining a strict vigil to see bird flu did not occur there.

Dairy development minister U Mathivanan, replying to a debate on the demands of grants for his department, said the state would launch a scheme to increase income of milk producers, under which 10,000 cross-bred milch animals would be supplied to rural women self-help groups.

The scheme would be named after DMK founder, the late CN Annadurai, whose birth centenary falls this year, he added.

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/News/Economy/%20Agriculture/Tamil_Nadu_to_set_up_sterile_poultry_zone/articleshow/3000102.cms

RAMANATHAPURAM: Ramanathapuram district will soon find its place among the districts in Tamil Nadu, which generate power through windmills.

Experts from Tamil Nadu Electricity Board (TNEB) have conducted a survey along the coast of Rameswaram and Dhanuskodi during the past two years.

They have installed wind monitors in three locations to calculate the velocity of wind. Following the assessment of the velocity of the winds along the coastal areas, the TNEB has decided to erect some windmill towers between Rameswaram and Dhanuskodi for power generation.

The wind energy unit of the TNEB in Tirunelveli district which conducted the study in Ramanathapuram coast has submitted its report to the government about the viability of setting up windmills along the coast.

Presently, 206 mega watt of power is being generated by six power plants, including the TNEB plant at Vazhuthur, as against its optimum capacity of 321 mw, due to a problem in availability of natural gas.

A TNEB official said technical experts were satisfied with the velocity of wind in the area. However, the government would have to decide whether private undertakings, TNEB or both can jointly execute the project, he added.

District Collector R Kirlosh Kumar told this website's newspaper that the study for establishing windmills in Rameswaram Island had been completed and around 70 acres of government land would be transferred to TNEB for the erection of windmills.

http://www.newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp?ID=IET20080520003144&Page=T&Title=Southern+News+-+Tamil+Nadu&Topic=0

Tamilnadu sez list
source:http://www.sezindiainvest.com/Statewise/Tamilnadu_Statewise.htm

1 M/s. Flextronics Technology (India) Pvt Ltd
2 M/s. Tata Consultancy Services Ltd
3 M/s. ETL Infrastructure Services Ltd.
4 M/s. Hexaware Technologies Ltd
5 M/s. Syntel International Pvt. Ltd
6 DLF Info City Developers (Chennai) Ltd.
7 M/s. Xansa India Ltd.
8 Electronics Corporation of Tamil Nadu Ltd.
9 Electronics Corporation of Tamil Nadu Ltd.
10 ETL Infrastructure Services Ltd
11 ETL Infrastructure Services Ltd
12 Shriram Properties and Infrastructure Pvt. Ltd
13 State Industries Promotion Corporation of Tamil Nadu (SIPCOT)-[earlier approval to Consortium of Shoe Manufacturers Pvt. Ltd.]
14 State Industries Promotion Corporation of Tamilnadu Ltd
15 Coimbatore Hi-tech Infrastructure Pvt Ltd.
16 M/s. Cognizant Technology Solutions India Pvt Ltd.
17 Nuziveedu Seeds Ltd
18 Arun Excello Infra Pvt. Ltd.
19 Span Ventures Pvt. Ltd.
20 Anush Infrastructure
21 Haaciendaa Infotech and Realtors Private Limited
22 Bannari Techno Park Limited
23 Lotus Footwear Enterprises Ltd
24 Suzlon Infrasstructure Limited
25 Platinum Holdings Private Ltd
26 Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation Limited (TIDCO)
27 New Chennai Township Private Ltd
28 New Chennai Township Private Ltd
29 J.Matadee Eco Parks Pvt. Ltd
30 Velankanni Information System Pvt Ltd
31 TIDCO
32 Spel Semiconductor Ltd.
33 SNP Infrastructure Pvt. Ltd.
34 TamilNadu Industrial Development corporation
35 Tamilnadu Industrial Development Corpn. Ltd.
36 State Industries Promotion Corporation of Tamil Nadu
37 ETA Technopark Pvt. Ltd.
38 Chennai Business Park Private Ltd
39 Rudradev Township Private Ltd
40 Foxconn India Developers (P) Ltd
41 Electronics Corporation of Tamil Nadu (ELCOT)
42 Electronics Corporation of Tamil Nadu (ELCOT)
43 Electronics Corporation of Tamil Nadu (ELCOT)
44 Electronics Corporation of Tamil Nadu (ELCOT)
45 Electronics Corporation of Tamil Nadu (ELCOT)
46 Electronics Corporation of Tamil Nadu (ELCOT)
47 Estra IT Park Private Limited
48 CCCL Infrastructure Electronics Corporation of Tamil Nadu (ELCOT)
49 Electronics Corporation of Tamil Nadu (ELCOT)
50 Ranipet Footwear and Leather Products Special Economic Zone (Earlier State Industries Promotion Corporation of Tamil Nadu Limted (SIPCOT)
51 Unitech Infopark Ltd.
52 True Developers Private Ltd
53 Perundurai Engineering SEZ by SIPCOT
54 Alliance Business Parks Pvt. Ltd
55 RNB Infrastructures Pvt. Ltd.
56 Sree Samayaa Pvt. Ltd.
57 Parsvnath Developers Ltd
58 Malavalli Power Plant Pvt Ltd
59 BioPure HealthCare Private Ltd
60 Best and Cromption
61 TIDCO
62 Tamil Nadu Industrial Development corporation
63 Tamil Nadu Industrial Development corporation
64 Tamil Nadu Industrial Development corporation Ltd
65 State Industries Promotion Corporation of Tamil Nadu Limted (SIPCOT)
66 Set up by the Central Government
67 M/s. Mahindra Industrial Park Ltd
68 M/s. Mahindra Industrial Park Ltd
69 M/s. Nokia India Pvt. Ltd.
70 Mahindra Industrial Park Ltd
71 Flextronics Technologies (India) Private Limited
72 Tata Consultancy Services Limited
73 Syntel International Pvt Ltd
74 ETL Infrastructure Services Limited
75 Hexaware Technologies Limited
76 Shriram Properties and Infrastructure Pvt Ltd
77 Coimbatore Hitech Infrastructure Pvt. Ltd
78 DLF Infocity Developers (Cheenai) Ltd
79 State Industries Promotion Corporation of Tamil Nadu
80 Electronics Corporation of Tamil Nadu
81 Electronics Corporation of Tamil Nadu
82 M /s. Hacciendaa Infotech and Realtors Private Limited
83 Cheyyar SEZ
84 Bannari Technoparks Pvt Ltd
85 Arun Excello Infrstructure Private Ltd
86 Zillion Estates Pvt. Ltd
87 Span Venture Pvt. Ltd
88 Suzlon Infrastructure Ltd
89 ETA Technopark Pvt Ltd
90 New Chennai Township Private Ltd

^^i can see we are 3rd in the number of SEZs behind MH and AP.....

http://www.hindu.com/2008/05/22/stories/2008052258511200.htm

CHENNAI: The Centre has allotted nine more handloom clusters to the State as part of the phase IV cluster development programme under the Integrated Handloom Development Scheme.

These clusters are likely to be located at Pillaiyarpalayam (Kancheepuram), Naduverapattu (Cuddalore), Iyyampettai, Parmathivellore (Tiruchengode), Pollachi, Paramakudi, Sellur (Madurai), Srivilliputhur and Doddampalayam (Erode). They will benefit more than 5,000 handloom weavers.

“With this, the State has been sanctioned 37 clusters since 2005-2006, and we hope the weavers have been fully covered. The Centre has sanctioned Rs 4.62 crore for executing the first 25 mini-clusters and Rs 5.40 crore for the new clusters,” Handlooms and Textiles Commissioner M.P. Nirmala told The Hindu.

As per the proposal, the Tamil Nadu Handloom Development Corporation will be the implementing agency. Pillaiyarpalayam and Iyyampettai will design low-cost silk saris, while the Srivilliputhur, Doddampalayam and Pollachi clusters will specialise in saris, silk saris and Negamam saris respectively. Paramakudi and Naduverapattau will make silk and cotton shirts, while Parmathivellore will continue to focus on dhotis and Sellur will trun out turkey towels and towels.

The programme will be implemented in the clusters within three years, based on the needs to be fixed by a baseline survey. To help the weavers, the implementing agency will provide them with common infrastructure, looms and accessories, training and work sheds.

http://www.tn.gov.in/pressrelease/pr200508/pr200508b.htm

source:http://newstodaynet.com/newsindex.php?section=9&id=7677
Venture capitalist Milestone Capital Advisors would invest up to Rs 1,200 crore in Tamilnadu to build green housing units that are affordable too.

Set up by Ved Prakash Arya, the objective of Milestone Capital was to facilitate investment in various areas of the Indian economy. Chennai and other cities like Coimbatore and Madurai in Tamilnadu offered big opportunity for real estate investment in the country.

NEW DELHI, May 19 (UPI) -- India's private firm Cetex Petrochemicals Ltd. is setting up a 12 MW biomass-based power plant at its facility in southern Tamil Nadu state.
The chairman of the company, S. Pattu, said the power plant was meant to reduce dependency on electricity board supplies and eventually cut down utility costs. It also would help the company offset losses incurred because of rising input costs.

For this new project, CPL has floated a new entity called Cetex Energy Generation Co. Pvt. Ltd. and received most of the statutory clearances. It is currently engaged in talks for a power purchase agreement that should be completed in a couple of months, The Business Line newspaper said Monday.

The new subsidy will sell close to 11 MW to the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board, Pattu said, adding about 25 percent will be funded by strategic investors, while the rest would come from a consortium of banks.

Pattu said the company is looking for technology to manufacture niche products. It is in talks with companies in the United States and Germany and will finalize the deal within six months.

Why Tirupur has raced ahead of Ludhiana?
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Ludhiana’s hosiery industry took off in the 1950s; that of Tirupur took off in the 1970s. Ludhiana’s exports were a mere Rs 1306 crores in fiscal 2006-07; that of Tirupur Rs 11,000 crores. Time the Punjab government and entrepreneurs woke up!

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LUDHIANA HAS been often associated, inter alia, with readymade garments and hosiery goods. It is one of the principal producers of woollen and acrylic knitwear; it also uses cotton and blended fibre to produce hosiery, knitwear and various readymade garments. Exports from Ludhiana district amounted to Rs 6624.47 crores as on 31 March 2006 and Rs 8287.13 as at 31 March 2007, according to the state government’s website[1]. The website also states that exports of readymade garments and hosiery for the two years were Rs 984.80 crores and Rs 1305.95 crores respectively.

This is unfortunate since Ludhiana’s hosiery industry took off during the 1950s. One of the reasons for mulish growth is the method of production and machinery used, which is mostly manually operated. Many units do not own designing facilities; nor do they exploit computer-aided designing/manufacturing, for the purpose. Designs for clothes for the domestic market are generally copied from magazines or from the samples provided by the buyers. Unlike Tirupur, in Ludhiana, the proportion of women workers in comparison to men workers is awfully low, especially in the factories. It is attributed to lower availability of skilled women, the poor working environment in industries and availability of cheap migrant labour. Tirupur boasts of at least 70 per cent women workers in this segment. Women workers are more sincere, keep away from disputes, are more efficient and promote a cordial working environment, aver the Tirupur entrepreneurs. Even the Ludhiana entrepreneurs concur with this view.

Hosiery units arrived at Tirupur in the early 1970s. Their first export consignment left the Indian shores in 1978. In 1985, Tirupur’s exports amounted to less than Rs 10 crores. In 1993, Tirupur’s exports crossed the Rs 1,000-crore mark. In 2005-06, its exports amounted to Rs 8,500 crores. In 2006-07, its exports amounted to Rs 11,000 crores. The corresponding figures for the local market were Rs 3000 crores and Rs 3500 crores respectively. The town boasts of 45 banks (including some international banks) with 77 branches. Ancillary units manufacturing cartons, polythene bags, zips, buttons, tapes and other packing material, have mushroomed, in the process. All these in a town with a population (within the municipal limit, according to the 2001 census) of just 3.44 lakhs! The Noyyal river divides the town, located 55 km east of Coimbatore, into two.

Then how come Tirupur has left Ludhiana far behind? Two important factors explain why Tirupur raced ahead of Ludhiana: technology and enterprise. Unlike the Ludhiana entrepreneurs, the Tirupur entrepreneurs upgraded technology as and when warranted and their enterprise led them to take calculated risks. Unlike their Ludhiana counterparts, the Tirupur entrepreneurs’ product is cotton-based to the extent of 85-90 percent. Many of the units have gone in for computerisation and use state-of-the-art hardware and software technologies. A few have even gone in for ERP packages like SAP!

Having said that, I do not say that everything was and still is hunky-dory with Tirupur. From time to time, exports from Tirupur came under threat on issues of environment pollution and child labour. The slow pace of infrastructure development (it has picked up momentum now, fortunately) has been an obstacle to the town maturing into an international knitwear centre. Many entrepreneurs are content with catering to the lower end of the market on a contract-manufacturing basis. Its water sources are heavily polluted or have dried up altogether, unable to meet the demand. Until recently, water was trucked in for residential use, at a substantial cost.

Fortunately, various projects are underway to improve the town’s infrastructure, thanks to the responsiveness of Tirupur’s entrepreneurs. Things are definitely looking better now. One of these projects, just commissioned in 2006, is an innovative private / public partnership that has brought water and sewerage connections to the businesses and homes in Tirupur. A new town, called New Tirupur has been developed 12 km from the town.

International giants and leaders in apparel marketing, like C&A, Wal-Mart, JC Penny, GAP, Mark & Spencer’s, Sara Lee, Tommy Hilfiger, Karstadt Quell acknowledge that Tirupur has become the capital of fashionable knitwear of India. This phenomenal growth of Tirupur is now supported by a world-class apparel park, called the Netaji Apparel Park where production facilities and other infrastructure are on a par with those obtaining in highly developed countries. More importantly, since wet processing involving dying / printing is not involved no common effluent plant has been erected. Rain water harvesting, accompanied by suitable arrangements for sewerage treatment has been enabled. I only wish the Punjab government as also the Ludhiana entrepreneurs took a leaf out of the Tirupur entrepreneur’s book.

Even as I write this article, I am reminded of what the well-known columnist and the founder of the Swadeshi Jagran Manch, Gurumurthy, said years ago. His words have proved prophetic. According to him, ‘the more deprived a place is, the more hard working its people are’. He further said that businesses in India are generally based on community-driven models. Both these are true in the case of Tirupur. He said IITs and IIMs (Indian Institutes of Technology and Indian Institutes of Management) are not the ones that generate centres of enterprise in India; it is the communities. “People who set up businesses are very ordinary people. Of the 300 families, which export knitwear from Tirupur, 90 per cent do not even know English. The people of Tirupur had some skills, which they needed to exploit. First, they were cotton cultivators. From cotton cultivating, they went to ginning, from ginning to spinning, from spinning to weaving and from weaving to knitting. This is how the entire area moved ahead. They developed skills in stages, government has recognised that clusters do good work. Cluster policy recognises that there is an atmosphere for development and growth in clusters. This is not the work of the market; this is the work of the community. Which place has the highest per capita income in India? Not Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai or Bangalore. It is Morvi in Gujarat, where they make Ajanta wall clocks!”

He adds: “Can anyone help evolve such skills in an area? If so, how? I think it is only social capital, which can do it. In my view, the community is the social capital in India. Take Tamil Nadu, for instance. The Naidus, the Kongu Goundars, the Nadars and the Rajus took to commerce there. These communities developed financially, educationally and socially. The Thevar community and Vanniyar community took to politics. They became government-dependent in their mindset. If you become dependent on the government, your development will stagnate. Community structure is, thus, the social capital through which the country can develop. It is being wasted in politics. I also would say that the media has failed to highlight community success stories. The intellectuals and media have a responsibility in helping communities evolve. But they have failed in their duties”.

But I regard the following as the ‘piece de resistance’:
“Government can’t understand that Indians can function only in small collectivities; they cannot function as atomized individuals. For example, in the West, there is social security, which is an atomized plan. In India, it is the families that take care of social security. But what policy do we have for the family? You are treating the Indian individual like a Western one and taxing him. Here, he is taking care of five to eight people. But policy makers, economists and media are completely ignorant of this fact. You need a very different approach to India. In India, the delivery mechanism is not just the market; it is the family, it is the community, it is the state and the market. The market is only one of the institutions of delivery and it is not the sole institution”.

I only hope the Harvard-returned ministers and mandarins realised this truth.

source:http://www.merinews.com/catFull.jsp?articleID=127898&catID=8&category=Business&rtFlg=rtFlg

Chief Minister M Karunanidhi has directed Water Supply Department officials to complete the Hogenakkal project and Ramanathapuram Integrated water scheme by the schedule time.

Chairing a review meeting of the Rural Development and Local Administration Department at the Secretariat yesterday, headed M K Stalin, he instructed the officials to complete the Hogennakkal project by the schedule time of 2011, an official press release said.

The Rs 1,334 crore project, envisaging to harness water from river Cauvery, which flows in Tamilnadu, to provide drinking water to Dharmapuri and Krishnagiri districts, was put on hold by Tamilnadu till the Karnataka elections were over.

The Hogenakkal scheme, on the Tamilnadu-Karnataka border, also led to a war of words between Karunanidhi and Karnataka politicians and other pro-Kannada groups, who were opposed to the project.

In an initial emphatic declaration, Karunanidhi promised implementation of the project at any cost, but later put it on hold, promising to amicably settle the issue with an elected government in Karnataka, post-Assembly elections.

At the meeting, the Chief Minister also instructed officials to complete the Rs 616 crore Ramanathapuram Integrated water scheme by April 2009.

He also instructed officials to quickly expedite work on setting up elevator-fitted foot-over-bridges, multi-storeyed vehicle parking lots, uniform traffic sign boards, and statues highlighting Tamil culture, which will be set up at bus stands and roadside parks.

The Chief Minister has told officials that the seawater desalination plant at Minjur should also be commissioned by next January.

source : http://newstodaynet.com/newsindex.php?id=7738%20&%20section=6

FM lays foundation stone for 100 crore Aluminium Fluoride plant

KARAIKUDI: The broad gauge conversion work between Karaikudi and Manamadurai will be completed in the next 15 days. A public function will be held in June to inaugurate train services, said Union Finance Minister P. Chidambaram on Sunday.

Laying the foundation stone for the Rs. 100-crore Sterlite Industries’ Aluminium Fluoride plant at Amaravatiputhur near Karaikudi, he said the broad gauge work between Pudukottai and Manamadurai began three years ago.

The absence of proper air connectivity and rail link hampered the growth of Sivaganga district. However, things changed after the expansion of Madurai airport and today it took only 40 minutes to reach Sivaganga, against 90 minutes from Chennai airport(?? should rather be Madurai airport i guess) to the heart of the city.

“In the last 15 years, Sivaganga has changed drastically, due to the stern efforts taken by industrialists. Sivaganga district is leading in education and agriculture sectors.

The Finance Minister urged Sterlite chairman Anil Agarwal to commission the aluminium fluoride plant by January/February 2009 and to make use of the services of scientists and students of Algappa University.

The new plant unit would have a production capacity of 13,000 tonnes of aluminium fluoride, a key input material in the manufacture of aluminium. It would be utilised to meet the captive requirement of the Vendata group’s aluminium smelters world over. The project was being set up in partnership with Maya Rasayan Ltd.

http://www.hindu.com/2008/05/26/stories/2008052652830400.htm

Mr. P.Chidambaram could have done lot more to the distric he hails from using his power as a cabinet minister at various periods in his political career. Any way its better late than never.

“BG conversion will be completed in 15 days”



N. Anand


KARAIKUDI: The broad gauge conversion work between Karaikudi and Manamadurai will be completed in the next 15 days. A public function will be held in June to inaugurate train services, said Union Finance Minister P. Chidambaram on Sunday. :):)

“In the last 15 years, Sivaganga has changed drastically, due to the stern efforts taken by industrialists. Sivaganga district is leading in education and agriculture sectors. However, it lagged behind Chennai, Chengalpattu, Coimbatore, Salem and Tuticorin in commerce and more efforts were needed to bring Sivaganga district to the forefront,” he said.

The Finance Minister urged Sterlite chairman Anil Agarwal to commission the aluminium fluoride plant by January/February 2009 and to make use of the services of scientists and students of Algappa University.

http://www.hindu.com/2008/05/26/stories/2008052659390600.htm

Velu inspects gauge conversion work

Work between Villupuram and Katpadi is likely to be completed by June 30

http://www.hindu.com/2008/05/26/images/2008052652080301.jpg



VELLORE: The gauge conversion work between Villupuram and Katpadi is likely to be completed by June 30, Union Minister of State for Railways R.Velu told reporters here on Sunday.

Though the estimate for the work was Rs.231.72, there was an increase by Rs.100 crore. The Railways has so far incurred an expense of Rs.193.23 crore and about 99 per cent of the work had been completed.

Mr. Velu said 40 per cent of the gauge conversion work had been completed between Vellore and Tiruvannamalai. The work was expected to end by December 31. However, the sudden rise in the prices of cement, steel and mud had caused the delay. Similarly, only 20 per cent of the gauge conversion work had been completed between Tiruvannamalai and Villipuram.

The work along this sector was expected to end by March 31.

As regards the Villupuram-Katpadi gauge conversion project, Mr. Velu said there would be 11 crossing stations and nine halt stations between Vellore Cantonment and Villupuram Junction. Out of the nine halt stations, Madimangalam, Onnupuram and Pennathur would be new ones. Trains along this sector would stop at Teli, Ayandur, Mugaiyur, Adichchanur, Madimangalam, Sedarampattu, Onnupuram and Pennathur. The two new crossing stations were Turinjapuram and Agaram Sibbandi.

On the Vellore-Tiruvannamalai and Tiruvannamalai-Villupuram sector, Mr. Velu said the total number of major bridges planned between these two sectors were 28, with one important bridge crossing the Cheyyar. The total number of minor bridges was 388.

Further, there would be 45 manned level crossings and 78 unmanned level crossings.

Talking about the Villupuram-Katpadi gauge conversion project, he said the total distance between Vellore Cantonment and Katpadi Junction was 10 km. The crossing station would be Vellore Cantonment and the halt station, Vellore town. The total number of major bridges was five, with two important bridges including the bridge across the Palar and a rail overbridge.

The estimated cost of the bridge across the Palar was Rs.13 crore and that of the rail overbridge was Rs. 2 crore.

The total number of minor bridges in this sector were estimated to be 25, with four manned level crossings.

The four manned level crossings would be at the road connecting Vellore town and Kasba. The remaining three would be at the road connecting Vellore town and Vasanthapuram, end of Vellore town station connecting Vellore town and Bangalore and road connecting Vellore town and Latheri. There were no unmanned level crossings along Vellore Cantonment and Katpadi Junction.

Mr. Velu said the passenger amenities at the Vellore Cantonment Station included new station building, ramp for person with disabilities, second class waiting hall with granite floor, VIP lounge, four advanced reservation counters, one current reservation counter, ATM counter, pay and use toilet, two high level platforms, platform shelter, foot overbridge covering all platforms and second entry, circulating area, garden, high light mast in the circulating area, entrance arch, VIP siding, parcel office, cycle and car parking.

The passenger amenities that would be provided at the Vellore Town Station were new station building, second class waiting hall, ramp for the persons with disabilities, high level platform, circulating area, garden, cycle and car parking.

http://www.hindu.com/2008/05/26/stories/2008052652080300.htm

Nice to see 4 projects nearing completion and may be opened for traffic in one or 2 months.

1. Katpadi-Vellore

It is going to be a boost for Vellore city(gonna be corporation!!). Direct trains may be operated to Chennai central, Hyderabad, Tirupathy, Bangalore, Salem/Coimbatore.

2. Tiruchendur-Tirunelveli

Another boost for south TN. Tiruchendur-Chennai Egmore Chendur express will run in few months. Let us hope Tiruchendur gets more trains to Delta dts, Coimbatore and Bangalore.

3. Manamadurai-Karaikuddi:

Vital link for Chettinad and shortest route to reach Rameshwaram from Chennai. Karaikuddi and Pudukottai will regain their lost connection to Chennai.

4. Nagore-Tiruvarur

This will be a big boost for Nagapattinam dt. Nagore-Chennai egmore express via Mayavaram, Cuddalore was announced in last budget, but the GC is being delayed. Atleast they run run the train via Trichy for time being. Nagore should be connected to South TN, Coimbatore. Bangalore-Salem passenger train extension via Cuddalore for time being should run via Trichy and once Villupuram-Mayavaram GC is over it can be diverted.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Let us hope Villupuram-Mayavaram GC, Madurai-Dindigul doubling, Villupuram-Trichy electrification and Podanur-Coimbatore-Irugur doubling get over fast.

That will be a big boost for TN's railway infrastructure.

Velu inspects gauge conversion work

Work between Villupuram and Katpadi is likely to be completed by June 30

Which June 30? Is it 2008 or 2009 or 2010? According to the report only 20% work is completed between Villupuram and TV Malai. So definitely the entire stretch can not be completed by June 2008. Even Vellore-TV Malai only 40% work is completed. If they work very hard, they can complete by June 2009. Else will slip to 2010.

^^

It should be Vellore and Katpadi.

In one of the tamil newspaper MoSR said that Kacheguda-Chitoor Venkatadri exp will be extended to Vellore!!

New Delhi, May 27: Considering the robust growth witnessed by the pharmaceutical sector in the country, government has decided to create a separate department dedicated to the sector.

"We have already taken an in-principle decision to create a separate department for the pharmaceutical sector," Minister of Chemicals and Fertilisers Ram Vilas Paswan said in New Delhi.

He said the proposed department for the pharma sector would be carved out from the existing chemical and fertilizer department, which is now also taking care of the sector.

A senior government official said the decision was taken at a meeting of the Committee of Secretaries held last month.

While the modalities are being worked out to give a final shape to the new department, drug price regulator National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) would become a part of the proposed department, the official said.

The official added that keeping in mind India's growing exports, the pharmaceutical sectors too needed a separate specialised department just as the IT industry.

"Having a full fledge department exclusively dedicated to the pharmaceutical industry would help the sector, especially when exports are accounting close to 50 per cent of the total pharma production in the country," the official said.

The entire process of setting up the separate department may get completed in few months, the official added.

The movement also said it has got six proposals from six states for setting up Petroleum, Chemical and Petrochemical Investment Regions (PCIPR) after the policy was approved.

Paswan said the proposals from the six states would be now sent to a high-level committee for the final decision.

Out of the six states who have sent proposals for PCPIR, Andhra Pradesh PCPIR envisages a total investment of Rs 3,34,000 crore followed by Orissa PCPIR having an investment potential of Rs 2,30,000 crore.

The Karnataka PCPIR has an investment potential of Rs 230,000 crore and West Bengal PCPIR has an investment potential of Rs 75,000-80,000 crore.

The Gujarat PCPIR envisages a total investment of Rs 50,000 crore and Tamil Nadu PCPIR has an investment potential of Rs 24,179 crore.


http://www.financialexpress.com/news/Govt-to-set-up-separate-department-for-pharma/315226/

NEW DELHI: As it formalised three joint ventures with Ashok Leyland for commercial vehicles on Monday, Japan's Nissan Motor categorically ruled out joining Bajaj Auto's proposed foray into the four-wheel light commercial vehicle (LCV) project.

"No, not at all," was the answer of Andy Palmer, corporate V-P of Nissan's LCV business unit, when asked whether the company, that is partnering Bajaj and French parent Renault for a $2500 budget car, would extend it to commercial vehicles as well.

Speaking to TOI from Japan, Palmer said the tie-up with Ashok Leyland was an exclusive deal. "Ashok Leyland is clearly our exclusive partner for LCVs and there is no question of partnering Bajaj," he said, putting at rest speculations on whether it would join Bajaj's LCV foray and how it would affect its agreements with Ashok Leyland.

Nissan and Ashok Leyland on Monday announced formation of three JV companies for LCV business that would see total investments of about Rs 2300 crore.

While Ashok Leyland will hold 51% in the vehicle manufacturing JV, Nissan will hold 51% in the powertarin manufacturing JV. The third JV, the technology development company, will be owned 50:50 by the two partners.
A new greenfield facility would come up for project, possibly in Tamil Nadu, which will have an initial capacity of 1 lakh vehicles and start production from 2010/11. A new engine is being developed specifically for LCV applications, as part of the range of Euro III and Euro IV compliant diesel engines.

Palmer said though there would be a common manufacturing facility, the two companies would not have joint-badged vehicles.

"There would not be common badged vehicles. The products will be either true blood Nissan vehicles or true blood Ashok Leyland ones," he said, adding that the effort would be to target different customer types and sub-segments.

Even the distribution network would be different. "As the products would be different, Nissan would appoint its own dealers while Ashok Leyland will use its own network," Palmer said.

R Seshasayee, MD of Ashok Leyland, said his company would roll out "value" products through the JV. "We intend to target the high volume segment while Nissan's products would be of premium type," he said, adding that both passenger and goods carriers would be manufactured.

On the lower side, the companies would manufacture products with payload of 1.25-tonne, 2-tonne and 3-tonne, Seshasayee said, clearly hinting that it would roll out rival products to Tata's successful sub one-tonner Ace.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India_Business/Nissan_doesnt_want_to_ride_Bajajs_LCV_foray/articleshow/3074860.cms

Empee Distilleries Ltd, the Flagship Company of Empee Group, announced a 30 per cent maiden interim dividend for the half year ended April 30, 2008. “Our accounting year is from October 1 to September 30. The record date for eligibility is May 21, 2008,” a company source said.



Power plant goes on stream

Meanwhile, the 10 Mega Watt (MW) biomass based power plant of the Power Division of Empee Distilleries Limited at Aranthangi in Pudukottai went on stream recently. The Group will supply the entire quantity of clean renewable energy to the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board. The power plant is generating 60 lakh units of power per month.


“The Tamil Nadu Energy Development Agency (TEDA) awarded three licences to the Empee Group to set up biomass-based power plants at Pudukottai, Perambalur and Thiruvaroor District. The project at Aranthangi in Pudukottai District has been commissioned and will qualify for carbon emission reduction certificates (CER’s). The Group is contributing to a global cause by mitigating carbon-dioxide emissions through the use of biomass for the project,” Empee Group Chairman Mr. M. P. Purushothaman said.



For a Green cause

“At present, we are buying the biomass required for the plant from growers. We will soon set up our own captive tracts for biomass development as our requirement is very huge. The biomass plants grow afresh every time they are harvested and we tap the energy available within the plant to generate electricity. The entire energy thus produced will be added to the state power grid through the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board,” company sources revealed.



http://www.moneycontrol.com/india/news/pressmarket/empee-distilleries-announces-30-interim-dividend/16/10/339865

^^

It should be Vellore and Katpadi.

In one of the tamil newspaper MoSR said that Kacheguda-Chitoor Venkatadri exp will be extended to Vellore!!
Oh.. That will be an excellent news!!! if it becomes true.

http://www.hindu.com/2008/05/28/stories/2008052859570300.htm

Tamil Nadu’s share in exports of engineering goods among the four southern States was 67 per cent (provisional figure) in 2007-08. Exports from the State grew to Rs. 16,072.15 crore from Rs. 15,586.18 crore in 2006-07, according to the Regional Director of Engineering Export Promotion Council (EEPC), M. Ganesan.

In a press release, he said that Karnataka’s share was 19 per cent, Andhra Pradesh 13 per cent and Kerala around 1 per cent. He was addressing an export awareness programme organised here on Saturday by EEPC, Export Credit Guarantee Corporation of India (ECGC), District Industries Centre and Madurai District Tiny and Small Scale Industries Association.

Indian export of engineering goods witnessed a growth of 39.04 per cent in rupee terms and 35.69 per cent in dollar terms during 2006-07. In the last fiscal, it recorded a negative growth of 0.004 per cent in rupee terms but in dollar terms it grew by 13.16 per cent, owing to appreciation of rupee against the dollar, said Mr. Ganesan.

The lion’s share of southern region’s exports comprised copper and allied products, commercial vehicles, passenger cars, automobile accessories and components.

Products such as industrial castings, valves, machinery and accessories, also constituted a significant portion of the exports.

P.S. Rajan, Branch Manager, ECGC, spoke about risk management while D. Gajapathy, Deputy Director General of Foreign Trade, explained the policy initiatives of the Government on foreign trade.

A.K. Agarwal, Chief Commissioner, Central Excise, briefed about the various benefits offered by the Union Government for exporters. Association president, P.T. Krishnamoorthy, and joint secretary G.R. Balakrishnan, spoke.

http://www.hindu.com/2008/05/28/stories/2008052858370200.htm

CHENNAI: Two desalination projects are likely to come up in Tamil Nadu with the support of Israeli technology, Daniel Zohar Zonshine, Consul General, Consulate General of Israel has said.

With desalination technology already available in Israel, lowering costs and optimisation of technology would be central to the proposed projects, Mr. Zonshine told The Hindu on Tuesday.

With a focus on infrastructure, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Karnataka, West Bengal, Orissa and Tamil Nadu are creating investment hubs that have the potential to collectively attract Rs 10 lakh crore in investments and create 43 lakh jobs in the next several years.

Each of these investment hubs that span several hundreds of square kilometres will have urban utilities like housing complexes, cinema halls, schools and hospitals and major industries in oil, chemicals, petrochemicals and several downstream industries in their heart. The investments into external infrastructure like roads, sea ports, airports and rail network would be made by the union government while power to these massive industries would be provided by the state government.

Besides their own investments into utilities like hospitals and schools, the state governments will also strike partnership deals with builders and other private players to set up housing complexes and other facilities.

Industrial investments would come from state-run and private firms — domestic as well as global. Chemicals and fertilisers minister Ram Vilas Paswan, whose ministry conceptualised these massive investment hubs, said that the first PCPIR is likely to come up in Andhra Pradesh, followed by one in Gujarat. Sources said the ambitious investment hub in Andhra Pradesh is likely to be notified in a couple of months.

In the 603.6 sq km petroleum, chemical and petrochemical investment region (PCPIR) traversing the Visakhapatnam-Kakinada region in Andhra Pradesh, the central government would pump in about Rs 5,974 crore to build roads, rail links, rail freight stations, airports and cargo complexes while the state would spend Rs 2,132 crore to provide mainly water and power supply, it is understood. A larger chunk of infrastructure investment of Rs 10,565 crore would come from private investors, as per the proposal the state government has prepared, it is learned.

Gujarat is expected to invest Rs 18,691 crore in infrastructure — including funds from central government and private players. Karnataka, which is creating a PCPIR in 250 sq km and anticipating an industrial investment of Rs 2.3 lakh crore, will spend Rs 10,147 crore in infrastructure. This includes contribution from the central government and private developers. Orissa, which will create a 284 sq km PCPIR, will get infrastructure investments of about Rs 15,273 crore from all the three sources. The Left-ruled West Bengal will have a total infrastructure investment of about Rs 25,750 crore, while Tamil Nadu will pump in Rs 6,189 crore.

The Andhra Pradesh PCPIR has the potential for industrial investments of Rs 3,43,000 crore while Gujarat has an investment commitment from private players as well as central and state governments of Rs 50,000 crore. The West Bengal PCPIR has the potential to attract industrial investment of about Rs 80,000 crore and the one proposed in Tamil Nadu has the potential for Rs 24,178 crore.

In Andhra Pradesh, global majors like Total SA of France, Mittal Energy Investments, GAIL India, Oil India and oil refining and marketing major Hindustan Petroleum Corp (HPCL) are expected to invest Rs 32,000 crore. This consortium will set up a 15 million tonnes a year (mtpa) refining-cum-petrochemical complex. Besides this, HPCL is expected invest another Rs 10,000 crore to double its existing 7.5 mtpa refining capacity in the region.

Public sector refining major Oil & Natural Gas Corp (ONGC) would invest Rs 31,000 crore to set up a refinery and polypropylene unit in Kakinada SEZ. The state government anticipates exports of Rs 58,000 crore a year and tax receipts of Rs 46,500 crore a year from this PCPIR, which is expected to account for 9% of the total value of goods and services produced in the state.

Creating sophisticated infrastructure across the country to facilitate industrial development may take time. The government’s idea, therefore, is to select regions in the coastal area, where port connectivity could be provided easily to such industrial hubs in addition to upgradation of other modes of transport. Removing the need for multiple clearances and providing infrastructure would remove the two major hurdles for industrial development.

The states that have moved PCPIR proposals have to create bodies similar to Noida set up by the Uttar Pradesh government, the final administrative step before investments could come in. The ministry of environment and forests is also understood to be working with the pollution control boards in these six states to ensure that environmental disturbance because of large scale industrialisation is kept to a minimum.

To give a big boost to India’s $8.8-billion petrochem industry, the government also came out with a policy that aims at encouraging local production, consumption and export of petrochemicals and plastics. Neighbouring China has a strong presence in plastics and enjoys a substantial share of the global footwear and toys market.

The government intends to promote use of plastics in areas like agriculture storage and water conveyance, and facilitate research on waste management technologies. The policy envisages steps to attract more investments in the sector and to enable the country to capture a larger slice of the Asian demand for polymers. To achieve this goal, the government would strive to provide natural gas — the feedstock — at globally competitive prices, create infrastructure and further rationalise tariffs and taxes.

The government also intends to assist modernising the downstream plastic processing industry to enhance its capacity and competitiveness. By 2011, the per capita consumption of plastic products and synthetic fibre is expected go up three-fold from the current 4 kg and 1.6 kg, respectively. A petrochemical technology upgradation fund, a plastic development council and a task force on petrochemical feedstock to suggest measures to ensure the availability of petrochemical feedstock at internationally competitive prices are in the making.


http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/News/Economy/Infrastructure/Transforming_future_Six_states_creating_investment_hubs/articleshow/msid-3081715,curpg-2.cms

:cheers: Finally, TN has started to market itself aggressively. The current government should get the credit in setting this trend.
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http://www.indiawest.com/view.php?subaction=showfull&id=1212013305&archive=&start_from=&ucat=3

By RICHARD SPRINGER
India-West Staff Reporter

SAN FRANCISCO – A high-ranking business delegation from Tamil Nadu made an investment pitch at a breakfast roundtable briefing hosted by the Washington, D.C.-based U.S.-India Business Council and Caterpillar Inc. here May 19 at the St. Regis hotel.

The delegation also was made a presentation in the global exchange program at the annual conference of The Indus Entrepreneurs May 17 (I-W, May 23).

Tamil Nadu Chief Secretary L.K. Tripathy told the invitation-only roundtable that his state is growing more than India’s eight percent growth-rate.

He highlighted that fact that Tamil Nadu is a major energy producer and has 2,000 additional megawatts of capacity “in the pipeline” by the end of 2008.

“The roadmap is clear,” he said, “Tamil Nadu will be the next supplier of power in the country.”

While Tripathy emphasized the state’s well-know strengths – its “quality of manpower” and being a hub for automobile and automobile accessory manufacturing – he also pointed out that that several major investment projects recently received “all clearances straight” in three weeks.

M.F. Farooqui, industries secretary to the Tamil Nadu government, summarized studies by Goldman Sachs and other consulting firms that predict a boom economy in the state. In one projection, Tamil Nadu by 2050 will have “the highest per-capita income in India,” he said.

IT secretary to the government Dr. C. Chandramouli cited press reports claiming Chennai will overtake Bangalore as an information technology hub in the “next five-seven years.”

Tamil Nadu Industrial Guidance and Export Promotion Bureau director M. Velmurugan said Nokia found Chennai 11 percent cheaper than China when it decided to locate a plant there.

The co-host of the roundtable, Santa Ana, Calif.-based Chandra Ramamoorthy, a service operations representative for the North American commercial district at Caterpillar, revealed that the company plans to invest “$175 million to $200 million in India in the next three to five years.”

The farm equipment company, which had nearly $45 billion in worldwide revenue in 2007, has had a presence in Tamil Nadu since 1969.

Caterpillar makes construction and mining equipment in Thiruvallur, diesel engines and generating sets at its Hindustan Powerplus Ltd. subsidiary and machines and large and medium speed engines at the Caterpillar Commercial Pvt. Ltd subsidiary.

Ramamoorthy added that company chairman and CEO James W. Owens recently said India would be “critical” in the company’s worldwide strategic planning.

http://www.thestatesman.net/page.news.php?clid=12&theme=&usrsess=1&id=206052

NEW DELHI, May 29: The government today approved setting up of four additional ultra mega power projects (UMPP) in Orissa, Chhattisgarh, Tamil Nadu and Gujarat to meet the power shortages.
“We have decided to put up four more UMPPs as these states had sent renewed requests to the government for the same,” power minister Mr Sushilkumar Shinde said in an Assocham release.
The government had earlier approved nine UMPPs, of which three are under execution. The government further received requests from Chhattisgarh, Orissa, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu for UMPPs to meet the power shortages, thereby bringing the number of UMPPs to 13.
“So, in totality there would be 13 ultra mega power projects that would come up during the 11th plan,” Mr Shinde said.

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu is all set to get one high school in every five km radius, with the state government planning an ambitious Rs 5,000 crore project for providing access and upgrading the quality of education at the secondary level.

Bidding adieu to blackboards and crowded classrooms, government high schools are all set for a make-over, as officials are planning virtual classrooms, maths, science, english and audio-visual labs.

Tamil Nadu is the only state so far to submit a comprehensive proposal for the Central project named 'SUCCESS' (Scheme for Universal Access and Quality Education at the Secondary Stage), envisaged to be implemented during the 11th five year plan.

The state government has already made an initial allocation of Rs 200 crore in the budget as its share. The funding would be in the ratio of 65:35 with the Centre contributing the larger share, school education minister Thangam Thennarasu told The Times of India.

The state has roughly 3,000 high schools, with one being located in every 7 km radius. In places like Dharmapuri and Krishnagiri, it is one in a 10 km radius. "The aim is to add new schools so as to ensure one school at every 5 km radius even at remote places," he said.

The teacher-student ratio will initially be maintained at 1:40 and subsequently improved to 1:30. Besides upgrading middle schools into high schools, those that have huge strength will also be bifurcated.

Having ensured universal primary education under the Sarva Siksha Abhigyan, the government hopes to achieve universal secondary education as there was a need for improvement, the minister said.

While other states are still collecting data, Tamil Nadu has completed the preparation of a plan for 2007-12 and the annual plan for 2008-09. Though the state has sought Rs 20,000 crore from the Centre for the project, it is hoping for a sanction of at least Rs 5,000 crore.

Besides establishing high schools even in areas which do not have infrastructure, plans are afoot to set up five regional-level training institutes for teachers to hone their skills.

Training would also be provided to headmasters on how to manage schools both administratively and academically. The modules have been prepared in collaboration with UNICEF, Thennarasu said. He said a concept called 'appreciative inquiry' would be introduced to improve the relationship between headmasters and students.

Efficient teachers, who employ innovative teaching skills, would be identified and utilised to teach students across the state either though live web cast or through CDs.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Chennai/Govt_to_open_one_school_every_5_km/articleshow/3084170.cms

'Power Transmission Corpn would not be privatised'
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Source http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/004200805301323.htm

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Chennai (PTI): Tamil Nadu Government on Friday asserted that the Power Transmission Corporation would not be privatised and said a law would be passed to prevent the Corporation from being privatised in the future also.

Electricity Minister, Arcot N Veeraswamy, recalling an assurance given by him in the Tamil Nadu Assembly in April, said, "at no point of time will the Corporation be privatised. A law would be passed to ensure that no future government also tried to privatise the Corporation," in an official release here.

The Chairman of the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board (TNEB) would also be the Chairman of the Corporation, while the Chief Engineer of the TNEB would be the Managing Director, he said.

The Minister was reacting to a rally by the CITU in Chennai yesterday, which, among others, protested against any privatisation move of the Corporation.

"With a total of 40,500 mw :cheers: of power-- 7500 mw of Central-State collaboration, 8000 mw of Central production and 25,000 mw of Merchant power-- to be produced in the state in the coming years, all of it cannot be consumed by us and it should be shared with power-deficit states. The Transmission Corporation would do this task," Veeraswamy said while explaining the rational behind the setting up of the Corporation.

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Govt plans revival of TN optical fibre production unit
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http://www.business-standard.com/common/news_article.php?autono=322683&leftnm=3&subLeft=0&chkFlg=

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The government is looking to revive Tamil Nadu Telecommunications Ltd (TTL), a public sector optical-fibre maker, through a capital restructuring package.


TTL is jointly promoted by Telecommunications Consultants India Ltd (TCIL), which holds 30.67 per cent equity in the company, Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation (TIDCO) (29.49 per cent), Japanese firm Fujikura (14.47 per cent) and the general public (25.37 per cent).

The plan involves TCIL enhancing its equity share capital in the company to take a majority 51 per cent stake as well as provide bridge loans to the company.

TTL, having eroded its networth with accumulated losses of Rs 33 crore as against a paid-up capital of Rs 22.66 crore, is currently registered with the Board for Industrial and Financial Reconstruction (BIFR), which had ordered the operating agency — State Bank of India (SBI) — to prepare a revival plan.

Under the revival scheme, SBI has agreed to waive loans worth nearly Rs 10 crore, convert loans worth Rs 7.58 crore to equity and as per the one-time settlement be paid Rs 9.96 crore.

Accordingly, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has proposed TCIL's equity share capital in TTL be increased to Rs 24.25 crore from Rs 6.96 crore, by converting loans and dues to equity.

Post the restructuring, TIDCO's shareholding will go down to 14.06 per cent from 29.49 per cent, while Fujikura's shareholding will come down to 6.9 per cent from 14.47 per cent.

The public shareholding will decrease to 12.09 per cent from 25.37 per cent at present. Under the revised capital structure, banks will acquire 15.95 per cent of the total shareholding. It has also been proposed that TCIL provide bridge loan of Rs 12.5 crore against security of land, plant and machinery of TTL till loans from banks are organised.

A meeting of the Telecom Commission, held here last Thursday, discussed the proposal and decided that Cabinet approval be sought for the move. It is expected that the capital restructuring will be completed within three months of final government approval.

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South Indian states lag behind in IT adoption : study
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http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/001200805061731.htm

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New Delhi (PTI): South Indian states, which have the reputation of being pioneer in IT are lagging behind their Northern and Eastern counterparts in terms of adopting IT in the manufacturing units, a study said.

Out of the 15 states namely -- Kerala, Karnataka, Maharastra, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal and Orissa the southern states of Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu are less computerised, a study by IT major Microsoft, India Development Foundation and LexisNexis Butterworths has said.

The study further said that greater computerisation of factories is not linked to IT production in a specific geography.

"Within these 15 states which accounts for more than 90 per cent of all factories in India, contrary to all expectations, Andhra Pradesh (ranked 14) and Tamil Nadu (ranked 11 ) are among the lesser computerised states," Dr Subhashis Gangopadhyay, economists and one of the authors of the book based on the study said.

Tamil Nadu has the highest number of manufacturing industries in the country, but less than 40 per cent of its units are computerised, compared to more than 60 per cent in Maharastra, Gujarat and Delhi, he said.

The study also pointed out that the current consumption of technology by Indian industry is alarmingly low. Only 20 per cent of the software produced in the country is meant for internal consumption.

"Despite India's IT export prowess, there is an alarmingly low internal consumption of technology. About 80 per cent of software produced in this country is towards export," he added.

Despite documented evidence proving the benefits of technology investment in manufacturing, Indian businesses still have low adoption rates.

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EmaarMGF to invest Rs 12,000 cr in South

http://www.business-standard.com/common/storypage_c_online.php?leftnm=10&bKeyFlag=IN&autono=38715


EmaarMGF Land Ltd, a joint venture between Emaar Properties PJSC of Dubai and MGF Developments Ltd of India, is planning to invest $3 billion (Rs 12,000 crore) in projects spanning residential, commercial, retail, IT & SEZs and hospitality sectors over the next few years in over 10 locations across south India.



The company plans to develop 31 million square feet (sqft) over the next few years in the 10 locations including Chennai, Coimbatore, Mysore, Mangalore and Kochi. It has a land bank of 13,000 acres across the country including 1,500 acres in south India, EmaarMGF chief executive officer, William R Rattazzi, told newspersons on the occasion of launching the $1.4 billion (Rs 5,600 crore) 'Boulder Hills Golf & Country Club' leisure and residential community project in Hyderabad on Friday.


The company, which withdrew its plans to come out with an initial public offering (IPO) in February last, is again planning to come out with an IPO. "This should take place in the next 12-18 months depending on the market conditions. The size of the issue and the price of the equity shares also depend upon the market conditions prevailing at that time," Rattazzi said.

Boulder Hills, developed in partnership with the Andhra Pradesh Industrial Infrastructure Corporation, is spread over 531 acres in Hyderabad's information technology and financial corridor of Gachibowli. It has a fully operational 192-acre championship golf course designed by Harradine Golf, the Switzerland-based company that has designed over 200 golf course projects in Europe, Africa and Asia.


The first phase of Boulder Hills comprises 703 residential units with a mix of single and multi-family units. It will also be home to a special economic zone with a built-up area of 3 million sqft and 'The Mall of Hyderabad' spread over 13 acres. The mall is expected to be completed by 2010.


In the residential space, according to Rattazzi, EmaarMGF will focus on luxury and super luxury gated communities and townships with an aim to develop 20.5 million sqft. In the retail arena, the company will develop 3 million sft of top tier retail space across all its southern locations. The highlight of this initiative is the introduction of 'Mall of the City' series in each city the company forays into.


This apart, he said, EmaarMGF has plans to introduce luxury and boutique properties in Andhra Pradesh in association with Four Seasons and Marriot International. On the whole, the company is planning to have 30,000 rooms in the hospitality sector across the country over a period of next five years.

Cadbury and Tamil Nadu Agricultural University join hands for cocoa research project
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http://www.domain-b.com/companies/companies_c/Cadbury_India/20080530_cadbury.html

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Mumbai: Cadbury India Ltd, today announced an extensive cocoa research project in partnership with the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University to help promote cocoa cultivation in the state.

The research project is part of the Cadbury Cocoa partnership established to help secure the economic, social and environmental sustainability of cocoa farmers and their communities in India and other cocoa growing areas.

The research project will focus on improving cocoa farmer incomes, by helping them increase their yields through superior planting material, disease resistant varieties and produce top quality beans. Through research materials it will support the Tamil Nadu government's efforts in promoting cocoa as an inter crop in coconut to increase the income of farmers.

According to experts, five hundred cocoa plants can be planted in one hectare as inter crop in coconut with improved varieties come to yield in three years. The farmers can get an additional income of about Rs40,000 from one hectare of cocoa plantation by inter cropping in coconut / areca nut plantations.

The project also plans to introduce location specific practices for local farmer communities by understanding the impact of geographical variations in the region.

Speaking on behalf of Cadbury India, K P Magudapathy, associate vice president, Cocoa Operations said, ''Through this research project in Tamil Nadu, Cadbury is looking to partner the state government by supporting cocoa farmers and help develop cocoa production in an economically, socially, and environmentally sustainable way.''

In 2007, Cadbury had signed a memorandum of understanding with the Tamil Nadu government's department of horticulture to enhance the cocoa cultivation in the state through National Horticulture Mission. Cadbury has extended buy-back guarantee, minimum support price and technical advice for the benefit of the farmers.

Cocoa is mainly used for production of chocolates, health drinks, cosmetics and pharmaceutical industries and is globally consumed. It prefers 50 - 60 epr cent shade and is normally raised as an inter crop in coconut and areca nut plantations. India has around 75, 000 acres of cocoa farmland with a production of 9000 to 10,000 metric tonnes

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OPG Power Plant in TN
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http://www.mandadeals.co.uk/m-and-a-deals/admissions/333541/opgs-65m-aim-launch.thtml

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OPG Power Ventures, a developer and operator of group captive power plants in India, has joined AIM. The IPO raised £65.1 million at 60p per share, giving the company a market capitalisation of £172.2 million.


The funds raised will be used to finance the construction of four new power stations, which will lift the company’s power output from 19MW to more than 450MW by the third quarter of 2010.

Arvind Gupta, managing director, said: “OPG is pleased with the extremely strong response from the UK investment community to our business, which is focused on addressing the significant power deficit issues in India.”

OPG currently operates a 19MW gas-fired waste heat electricity plant in Tamil Nadu, India, and a 10MW coal-fired waste heat power plant in the same area is due to commence production later this year.

Despite increased power generation capacity across the subcontinent, India continues to face an average energy deficit of 9 per cent and demand for power is predicted to grow between ten and 12 per cent per annum in the next ten years.

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:banana:Five gauge conversion works nearing completion :banana:

S.Vydhianathan

Safety inspection by Commissioner of Railway Safety soon

CHENNAI: As many as five gauge conversion works are nearing completion and safety inspection of these lines by the Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS) is likely soon.

Southern Railway has written to the CRS, Bangalore, seeking his dates for inspection of the Karaikudi–Manamadurai BG section. The inspection is likely by the first week of June.

After his mandatory clearance, the line will be opened for passenger traffic.

The Karaikudi–Manamdurai section (61 km) is part of the Tiruchi-Manamadurai-Rameswaram BG conversion project. Once opened for traffic, direct services can be introduced to Rameswaram from Chennai Egmore via Tiruchi, Sivaganga, Karaikudi and Manamdaurai.

At present trains to Rameswaram from Egmore are taking the Tiruchi, Madurai, Manamdurai route.

Chief Administrative Officer R. Ramanathan says railway authorities are planning to invite Union Finance Minister P. Chidambaram to inaugurate the new line.

Conversion of the Tirunelveli-Tiruchendur section (62 km) is also over and the CRS is likely to inspect the line in the second week of June. This section is part of the Tiruchendur-Tirunelveli

-Tenkasi-Shenkottai-Punalur-Quilon project. The Punalur-Quilon and Tenkasi-Shenkotai sections have been completed. Gauge conversion work is on between Punalur and Shenkottai.

In July, three more converted lines, Nagur-Tiruvarur (31 km), Dindigul-Kodaikanal Road (22 km) and Katapdi-Vellore (10 km) sections will be opened for passenger traffic. All these sections are almost over and by July the Commissioner is expected to conduct inspection.

http://www.hindu.com/2008/06/01/stories/2008060154130400.htm

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/News/News_By_Industry/Energy/Power/Alstom_Bharat_Forge_plan_500-mn_power_JV/articleshow/3091493.cms

The JV is looking for 1,000 acres of land for the production facility and is in talks with the state governments of Maharashtra, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu. Once the site is finalised, the proposed JV plans to roll out power equipment within three years.

http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?newsid=1168602

Executive director Raghav Menon said the company would build an SEZ in either Tamil Nadu or Kerala. “We haven’t decided on the place yet. We will also enter retail and commercial project development,” he added

Sobha eyes SEZ in TN

http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?newsid=1168602

Executive director Raghav Menon said the company would build an SEZ in either Tamil Nadu or Kerala. “We haven’t decided on the place yet. We will also enter retail and commercial project development,” he added.

http://www.hindu.com/2008/06/05/stories/2008060553640500.htm

http://www.newkerala.com/one.php?action=fullnews&id=69014

Chennai, Jun 4: The Tamil Nadu Government has drawn up plans to create 37 million sq ft of space for the IT sector in the next three years by setting up Special Economic Zones (SEZs).


Talking to newspersons here today, State IT Secretary C Chandramouli said the Centre had sanctioned 37 SEZs for the IT sector of which 15 had already started operations.

In the coming years, the prospects were very bright as the other SEZs would be established, he said, adding, as Tamil Nadu was placed in the high-end of the value chain, IT companies were showing tremendous interest in coming to the state to set up their units.

Despite lot of turbulence in the IT sector, three million sq ft of space was occupied last year. ''This shows the confidence of investors in Tamil Nadu,'' he added.

He said as many as 72,000 employment opportunities were provided in the IT and ITeS sector last year. While 60 per cent of them were employed in the IT sector, the rest secured jobs in IT, he added.

Mr Chandramouli said both infrastructure facilities and connectivity were rated high in the state though there were minor problems in transportation and power which were being sorted out.

He said the growth plans of top 10 IT companies in the Mahindra City were very encouraging and when the SEZs become fully operational, there would be much bigger growth.

The SEZs would provide two lakh jobs in the next three years, he added.

Software exports from the state stood at Rs 28,489.50 crore last year, registering a 37.60 per cent growth over the previous year.

Bye bye to brokers at RTOs



Govt Launches Online Service To Get Appointment With RTO


TIMES NEWS NETWORK



Chennai: For most of us, an appointment with the Regional Transport Officer is unthinkable. Also unimaginable is RTO offices without touts and middlemen. But if the government’s plan can be translated to reality, then the online services launched on Wednesday not only assures a one-to-one meeting with RTOs, but also promises to do away with brokers.
For decades, the RTO has been sitting behind the most impenetrable walls of the bureaucracy. The common man has to first break through the ring of brokers and then wait for hours, sometimes weeks, even to get a glimpse of the RTO, the sanctioning authority for driving licenses.
The government launched an online service with the assurance that an appointment could be obtained online with RTOs for obtaining the driving license. Now, people can book an appointment with the RTO by logging on to http://eservices. tn.gov.in/transport.
Initially, people can apply for appointments with the RTOs, file their grievances and check the status of their applications and grievances online. Transport minister K N Nehru launched the website in the presence of home secretary S Malathi at the Secretariat.
“The online system should eliminate middlemen lurking around the offices of the RTOs,’’ said C P Singh, state transport commissioner. The website will provide a direct interface to the people, he said. Based on the success, the transport department has several plans in the pipeline to improve public interface, he added.
The plan is to offer broadband facility to all the RTOs and connect them to the transport commissionerate, police and related government departments. Once the network is in place, anyone can check the details of a particular vehicle or license; permit details, the jurisdiction of RTOs and information on stolen vehicles.
Efforts were being taken to introduce smart cards in RTO offices in Chennai South, Cuddalore and Sivaganga districts. Already, the issue of driving licenses have been computerised in 21 RTOs and 13 more will be covered soon.


From TOI

Tamil Nadu to build Rs.60 bn petrochemical mega-complex


http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/business/tamil-nadu-to-build-rs60-bn-petrochemical-mega-complex_10057311.html

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Chennai, June 6 (IANS) Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corp Ltd (Tidco) is planning to develop the Cuddalore-Nagapattinam belt as a petroleum, chemical and petrochemical investment region at an investment of Rs.60 billion ($1.4 billion), said a top official. Talking to reporters after signing a gas cooperation agreement with Gas Authority of India Ltd (GAIL) here Friday, Tidco chairman and managing director S. Ramasundaram said the state and central governments would develop the infrastructure while the prospective investors would have to source the required land for the factory.

“The infrastructure development in the region is estimated to require an investment of Rs.60 billion,” he added.

However, the project needs to be cleared by the central government. The first meeting with the ministry of petroleum and natural gas will be held June 11.

Ramasundaram added that Tidco wants to develop a petrochemical plant at Nagapattinam. Chennai Petroleum Corp Ltd (CPCL) has been requested to consider Nagapattinam as an alternative location instead of Ennore to build its greenfield refinery and petrochemical complex, he said.

About the gas cooperation agreement, he said GAIL would conduct preliminary techno economic feasibility study for gas demand potential in industrial, commercial, transport, residential sectors and evaluate medium and long-term gas demand potential of the state.

GAIL will also assess pipeline infrastructure and associated facilities required for supply of natural gas including optical fibre network.

“The agreement between GAIL and Tidco would help in preparation of future roadmap for realising the natural gas potential in Tamil Nadu,” said GAIL chairman and managing director U.D. Choubey.

A working group has been set up under the Chairmanship of Tidco executive director Kumar Jayant.
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http://www.business-standard.com/common/storypage_c_online.php?leftnm=10&bKeyFlag=IN&autono=39401

Tamil Nadu has sought clearance from the Centre for setting up a multi-billion Petrochemcial and Petroleum Investment Region (PCPIR) at Cuddalore and Nagapattinam.

"We have proposed the project at 250 sq km on Cuddalore and Nagapattinam, with Cuddalore as the nucleus," S Ramasundaram, chairman and managing director, Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation (TIDCO) said.

"The PCPIR, which would have units and facilities related to petroleum and petrochemicals, is not like a Special Economic Zone (SEZ). It does not enjoy any special duty concessions and would be declared as a preferred industrial area," he said.

Andhra Pradesh had recently obtained clearance for a similar project in the state.

The proposed PCPIR is expected to generate one lakh employment opportunities. He said the proposal was likely to be taken up for scrutiny this month by the Union Petroleum Ministry.
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^^

Let the present government work on it seriously and develop Cuddalore-Nagapattinam district well.

Ongoing Gauge conversion between Villupuram and Mayildathurai, Thiruvarur-Nagore via Nagai. then new lines like Chennai-Cuddalore via ECR, Velankanni-Nagai, And proposed new lines like Attur-Chidambaram/Karaikal, Mayiladuthurai-Tranquebar-Karaikal-Nagore lines will be a big boon to the infrastructure in this region!

Easr Coast Road works should be extended all the way to Tuticorin!

GAIL looking at setting up CNG corridor

http://www.business-standard.com/common/storypage_c_online.php?leftnm=10&bKeyFlag=IN&autono=39369


With a view to bringing the transport sector in parts of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry under the Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) ambit, the Gas Authority of India Ltd (GAIL) was looking at setting up a CNG Corridor comprising Nagapattinam, Karaikal and Puducherry.

UD Choubey, Chairman and Managing Director, GAIL, told reporters here today that GAIl Gas, a subsidiary of GAIL, was working out the options in this regard.

Though the idea was at a proposal stage, GAIL Gas would nevertheless consider using the gas "sources" in these regions to extract them and use it to supply as fuel for the transport sector in this corridor, he said.

"However, I can give no timeframe on when the corridor would come into existence as the exploration and other related works are on," he said adding if found to be successful, the scheme would be extended to Chennai later.

He said the reason for setting up the corridor was pollution created by oil-driven vehicles and the growing demand for a "cleaner" alternative in CNG.

Throwing light on the coming projects of GAIL, Choubey said that the company was considering establishing a refinery-cum-petrochemical plant at Vishakapatinam, in partnership with various partners.


On GAIL's global activities, the CMD said that with the company's 6.5 percent stakes in China Gas Holding, the future looked bright for the company in the Asian neighbour.
"We have entered into a joint venture with the company for gas distribution in 50 cities," he said.

British governor wanted Ram Sethu declared national monument in 1914

http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/uncategorized/british-governor-wanted-ram-sethu-declared-national-monument-in-1914_10057186.html

New Delhi, June 6 (IANS) a senior British official had sought national monument status for the Ram Sethu or Adam’s Bridge off the Tamil Nadu coast almost a century ago, something that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and some Hindu groups are pressing for now. Lord Pentlen, who was the governor of the Madras presidency between 1912 and 1919, had written to the then Indian Viceroy Lord Hardinge in December 1914 to have an archaeological study conducted on the Ram Sethu - between Rameshwaram, in India, and Sri Lanka - to ascertain if it could be declared a national monument.

“I would earnestly request you to direct the Archaeological Survey of India to undertake an extensive and intensive survey of Rameshwaram and its beautiful environs, particularly with reference to historic and primordial Adam’s Bridge, for declaring it as a national monument,” Lord Pentlen wrote to Lord Hardinge after touring Rameshwaram in 1914.

The letter, retrieved by former union minister Subramaniam Swamy from the archives of the Chennai mayor’s office, has now been sent to the central government to buttress his claim that the Ram Sethu needs to be declared a national monument after an archaeological study.

GAIL Gas proposes CNG corridor

http://www.hindu.com/2008/06/07/stories/2008060756460100.htm


http://www.hindu.com/2008/06/07/images/2008060756460101.jpg

IT’S A DEAL: GAIL chairman and managing director U.D. Choubey and TIDCO chairman and managing director S. Ramasundaram at the signing of a gas cooperation agreement in Chennai on Friday.

CHENNAI: Gas Authority of India Ltd (GAIL) and Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation Ltd (TIDCO) on Friday signed a ‘Gas Cooperation Agreement’ that will help prepare the roadmap for realising the natural gas potential in Tamil Nadu.

GAIL and TIDCO launched joint working groups to undertake a preliminary techno-economic feasibility study for gas demand potential in industrial, commercial, transport and residential sectors. GAIL will also evaluate medium to long-term gas demand potential.

GAIL chairman and managing director U.D. Choubey told a press conference that its subsidiary, GAIL Gas, was considering a ‘CNG corridor’ that would put the transport sector along Nagapattinam, Karaikal and Puducherry on compressed natural gas. The project could use gas sources in these regions to meet the future requirement of the transport sector in this corridor, he said.

Without setting a timeframe for the CNG corridor “as exploration and other related works are on,” Mr. Choubey said the scheme, if proved successful, would be extended to Chennai later.

On the GAIL-TIDCO pact, Mr. Choubey said GAIL would assess the pipeline infrastructure and associated facilities required for supply of natural gas, including optic fibre cable network and determine natural gas supply options to Tamil Nadu on a long-term basis.

TIDCO played a facilitative role, supporting developers of gas pipeline infrastructure and associated facilities and furnishing data on gas demand.

The investments involving the establishment of pipeline infrastructure would also be finalised after the feasibility study, scheduled over the next six months.

Mr. Ramasundaram said TIDCO proposed a contiguous 250-sq km greenfield oil refinery project in Cuddalore under the Government of India’s Petroleum, Chemicals and Petrochemicals Investment Region (PCPIR) initiative. Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi is expected to lay the foundation stone for the project this month.

The government would invest about Rs. 6,000 crore in infrastructure development while lands would be acquired by investors. It was estimated that one lakh jobs would be generated in ten years.

The proposal would be reviewed by the Ministry of Petroleum on June 11, and if cleared, would go to a high-power committee for final sanction. The greenfield project would fall into three zones — a 70-sq km expanse in Cuddalore, a 140-sq km area in Nagapattinam with an interconnecting strip of 41 sq km. The investment over the next eight years in the PCPIR would be about Rs. 1 lakh crore.

NOCL refinery project to take off after long delay

http://www.financialexpress.com/news/NOCL-refinery-project-to-take-off-after-long-delay/319746/
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Chennai, Jun 6 After years of uncertainty, the six-million-tonne refinery project of Nagarjuna Oil Corporation Ltd (NOCL) at Cuddalore in Tamil Nadu is set to take off in a big way. Tamil Nadu chief minister M Karunanidhi will lay the foundation stone for the Rs 5,000-crore project in a next few days, said S Ramasundaram, chairman & managing director of Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation (Tidco), a state undertaking with a 5% stake in the project.

“We expect the project will be completed in the next 30 to 33 months,” Ramasundaram said. According to him, the project will have a debt-equity ratio of 2:1.

KS Raju-owned Nagarjuna group will have a 51% stake in the project. The Tatas will have a 30% stake. Tidco will have a 5% stake in this project. Cuddalore Port Private Ltd will have 10% stake and the rest will go to a few select Companies, he pointed out.

The project, years behind schedule, had faced various hurdles and the delay has pushed up the project cost sizeably. It is learnt that an IDBI-led consortium of banks would take care of the debt portion. The project has achieved the financial closure recently.

The project will have a similar capacity in its second phase. “We are planning to have a one more 6-million-tonne capacity in the second phase and will work out the details on the same later,” Ramasundaram said.

According to sources, NOCL is expected to procure crude for the refinery from British Petroleum while equipment will come from the dismantled Mobil refinery in Germany. The refinery has been given the status of `mega project’ and is expected to get some concessions, sources added.

Tamil Nadu plans petro zone

Anticipating the Cuddalore refinery project’s take-off, the Tamil Nadu government plans to set up a 250-sq km petrochemical zone under the Central government’s Petroleum, Chemical and Petrochemical Investment Region (PCPIR) scheme in the near future, said S Ramasundaram, CMD of Tidco. He said taking Cuddalore refinery as a lead point, the state is planning to create a mega petrochemical zone on the lines of Andhra Pradesh on the Cuddalore, Nagapattinam, Karaikkal, Bhuvanagiri stretch.

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Railways makes proposal for 2.51 lakh crore

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/News/News_By_Industry/Railways_makes_proposal_for_251_lakh_crore/articleshow/3109853.cms
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DHARMAPURI (TN): The Railways has made a proposal for Rs 2.51 lakh crore to the 11th Five-Year Plan for carrying out various projects in the country, Minister of State for Railways R Velu said.

"Of this, Rs 65,000 crore for projects have been allotted to Tamil Nadu," Velu said after inaugurating a Road-Over- Bridge (ROB) at Morappur here.

"Projects worth Rs 5,500 crore have been undertaken in the state even since UPA government came to power in 2004, he said.

Railways has been a profit-making venture for the past four years, with its profits for 2008-09 is expected to clock Rs 1 lakh crore, he said.

Despite being the largest employer with 14 lakh employees, Railways is still a relatively industrial dispute-free department, Velu said.

Velu further said that increasing the stops for express trains is not an easy affair as Rs 5,000 would be spent on halting the train for five minutes in a station.

"Therefore, requests for halting trains in specific stations would be considered based on the expenses also," he added.

****************************************************************************************

TN Rivers to be connected

Rs 569 crore INR has been alloted says Minister Duraimurugan

Works will start this year itself

http://dkn.dinakaran.co.in/showxml.aspx?id=269975&code=18192

Tamil Nadu seeks clearance from Centre for PCPIR

http://www.plastemart.com/plasticnews_desc.asp?news_id=12302&P=P

Tamil Nadu has sought clearance from the Centre for setting up a multi-billion petrochemcial and petroleum investment region (PCPIR) spread over 250 sq km at Cuddalore and Nagapattinam. This decision follows the probable launch of the Cuddalore refinery project. Taking Cuddalore refinery as the lead point, the state government is planning to create a mega petrochemical zone on the lines of Andhra Pradesh. In order to make it more attractive for huge investments, the state government is planning to tie up with Chennai Petroleum Corporation Ltd, an IOC company, to set up a mega refinery of the size of 15 mtpa capacity at Nagapattinam district. The proposal is likely to be taken up for scrutiny this month by the petroleum ministry.

TN Rivers to be connected

Rs 569 crore INR has been alloted says Minister Duraimurugan

Works will start this year itself

http://dkn.dinakaran.co.in/showxml.aspx?id=269975&code=18192

Cauvery (Kattalai)-Vaigai-Gundar Link
The Cauvery (Kattalai)-Vaigai-Gundar link which forms a part of the
scheme of transfer of surplus river water of Mahanadi and Godavari
rivers to the deficit basins of Krishna, Pennar, Cauvery and Vaigai, is an
important part of the various inter-basin water transfer proposals
envisages under the Peninsular Rivers Development component of the
National Perspective Plan.
The proposed link project comprises of the following components:
i) A barrage at Kattalai across the Cauvery River with pond
level 101.20 m
ii) A head regulator on the flank of the extreme right bank with a design
discharge capacity of 180.30 cumecs.
iii) A 255.60 km long link canal taking off from the proposed head
regulator with FSL at 100.75 m and designed capacity of 180.30
cumecs.
It is proposed to divert a quantity of 2252 Mm3
from Kattalai barrage
through the proposed link canal. It is envisaged that this link canal will
provide en route irrigation to a culturable command area of 337717 ha
utilising 1952.30 Mm3
of water besides providing 185 Mm3
of water for
meeting domestic and industrial requirements.

Description of the Project Area
Location
(a) Kattalai Barrage
The Cauvery (Kattalai) – Vaigai - Gundar link project lies entirely in Tamil
Nadu. The location of the proposed Kattalai barrage is at about 138 km
downstream of the Mettur dam on the river Cauvery. The drainage area
of Cauvery basin up to the proposed barrage site is 63694 km2. The
barrage is proposed to be constructed 500 m downstream of the existing
Kattalai Bed Regulator which will be abandoned when the new barrage is
constructed.
The proposed barrage is accessible by road from Chennai, Coimbatore
and Tiruchchirappalli, the distances being approximately 375 km, 175 km
and 60 km respectively. Mayanur railway station
located on
Tiruchchirappalli - Erode Broad Gauge line is just adjoining the head
works.
(b) Canal Head Regulator
The existing South bank canal, the Kattalai high level canal,
Krishnarajapuram channel and the New Kattalai high level canal take –
off on the right flank of the existing Kattalai bed regulator. Considering
the size, FSL and slope of these existing canals, none of them will be
suitable for the purpose of the present link canal proposal without
extensive renovation. Hence, it is proposed to have an independent off–
take for the proposed link canal upstream of the existing New Kattalai
high level canal on the right bank of the river at a distance of 600 m
upstream of the proposed barrage. The proposed head regulator would
have 4 bays of 10.75 m span.
(c) The Link Canal
The Cauvery (Kattalai) – Vaigai - Gundar link canal is proposed as a
contour canal running for a total length of 255.60 km till it joins with
Gundar river. The link canal is aligned through Krishnarayapurm,
Kulithalai taluks of Karur district; Srirangam and Tiruchchirappalli taluks
of Tiruchchirappalli district; Kulathur, Pudukkottai, Gandarvakkottai,
Alangudi, Arantangi, Thirumayam and Avudayarkoil
talukas of
Pudukkottai district; Karaikudi, Devakottai, Ilaiyankudi, Tirupattur,
Sivaganga and Manamadurai talukas of Sivaganga district; Tiruvadanai,
Paramakudi, Kamudi, Ramanathapuram, Kadaladi and Mudukulathur
taluks of Ramanathapuram district; Tiruchuli, Kariyapatti and
Aruppukkottai talukas of Virudhunagar district

Moser Baer signs pact with TN govt for Rs 2000 cr project

Chennai, Jun 9 With about Rs 4000 crore investment commitments from two major players, Tamil Nadu is emerging as a national hub for the manufacture of photovoltaic products and nano materials.

Data storage-devices manufacturer, Moser Baer, will be investing Rs 2000 crore in Tamil Nadu to manufacture photovoltaic and nano technology products. Signet Solar has already committed Rs 2000 crore investment for a similar project.

Moser Baer India manging director Deepak Puri signed a memorandum of understanding with the Tamil Nadu government to set up the plant at the SIPCOT high technology special economic zone at Oragadam, near here.

On behalf of the State government, industries secretary MF Farooqui signed the MoU in the presence of Chief Minister M Karunanidhi, an official press release here said.

The MoU was signed with Signet Solar on March 17, 2008, for the manufacture of silicon-based micro photovoltaic products. Signet would be investing Rs 2000 crore for this project.

With these two projects being under way Tamil Nadu would become a major hub in the production of photovoltaic products, the release said.

http://www.financialexpress.com/news/Moser-Baer-signs-pact-with-TN-govt-for-Rs-2000-cr-project/320780/

Save energy is now TN House mantra

NEW DELHI: Tamil Nadu House has recently taken a step towards energy self-sufficiency. Considered one of its kind and first in the country, the installation of the proposed Vapour Absorption Machine (VAM) will not only make Tamil Nadu House self-reliant, but will also leave it with surplus energy. A similar model is in the pipeline for AIIMS as well.

The model has been a success in US and Germany. Besides being cheap, the process will be pollution- free with minimal wastage. “Under this model, the Natural Gas will be purchased and heated to a particular temperature. Alongwith power generation from the use of turbines, the vapours produced will be collected separately and used for air-conditioning,” says former director of Tamil Nadu House Sashi Shekhar.

The man behind the proposed idea, Shekhar says, “The other by-product is heat — which can be used to boil water and further used in kitchens and washrooms through geysers. So, the gas can be used to generate power, for air-conditioning and for kitchen and washrooms. So the surplus power generated can even be sold off.”

Joint resident commissioner of Tamil Nadu House, Jasbeer Singh Bajaj says, “With the implementation of this model, we will not draw any more electricity from the grid. The proposal has already been sent to the Tamil Nadu government and they have a very positive opinion about it. We are hopeful that the state government will soon clear this project.”

The total consumption of the House is estimated at 250 KW at peak hours and installation of VAM will generate 350 KW, leaving scope for selling the extra energy. “Though the cost of installation will be between Rs 2.5 crore and 2.8 crore, it is still a cash positive process from day one. The project will be installed by a third party, which will put in money and will take revenue for a gestation period of 7 to 8 years. After that the additional revenue from selling of the excess power will add to the income of the House,” says anofficial. Providing details about the reasons that have prevented the VAM model to be very popular, Shekhar says, “Though this model is environment friendly and very effective, the only hurdle in its implementation is that the third parties responsible for installation find it difficult to come by loans from banks.”

Kerala tops the table with 91.9 per cent female literacy and Bihar is at the bottom with only 47 per cent literate women.

The states which have fared better than Gujarat in terms of female literacy include Assam (82.4), Tripura (82.3), Manipur (81.4), Himachal Pradesh (80.3), Maharashtra (72.8), Punjab (72.7), Tamil Nadu (72.2), West Bengal (70.9) and Karnataka (66.2).


http://www.newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp?ID=IEP20080609091225&Page=P&Title=Nation&Topic=0

Fiscal Year Exports (Rs. Crores)

1993-94 2

1994-95 12

1995-96 37

1996-97 161

1997-98 393

1998-99 1246

1999-00 1914

2000-01 3116

2001-02 5223

2002-03 6316

2003-04 7621

2004-05 10703

2005-06 13615

2006-07 20083

2007-08 28490

Source:http://www.tn.gov.in/misc/it-initiatives.htm

http://www.stpc.soft.net/images/sec_export_image.gif

http://www.business-standard.com/common/news_article.php?tab=r&autono=325802&subLeft=1&leftnm=3

The Tamil Nadu government is planning to set up a 10Mw solar power plant in association with the private sector. The state government today invited investors to establish more windmills and solar power plants in the state.

According to Arcot N Veerasamy, state electricity minister, a solar energy plant costs Rs 18-22 crore per Mw, which is high compared with hydro power (Rs 5 crore per Mw), thermal power (Rs 4 crore), and windmill (Rs 6 crore). Due to this high cost, both private and public sector companies were not in a position to set up solar energy plants.

Recently, according to the MNRE guidelines, the Centre was prepared to pay incentives up to Rs 12 per unit and has also asked state governments to pay Rs 3 per unit for grid interactive solar power generation. This would encourage more investments, said the minister.

It's time to usher in nanomedicine revolution

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/Healthcare/Its_time_to_usher_in_nanomedicine_revolution/articleshow/3121363.cms

CHENNAI: Like information technology, India could well usher in the nanomedicine revolution. Spearheading this mission are two Indian researchers, Kattesh V Katti and Raghuraman Kannan, who have conceived a nanomedicine institution.

The project entails an investment of Rs 250 crore. The agenda for the researchers, who have made ground-breaking discoveries in this field, is to develop nanomedicine in a big way and drastically change healthcare delivery. Currently, they are attached to the University of Missouri in the US.

“They are keen to come back to India and establish an institution for nanomedicine in the country,” Sankara Nethralaya chairman emeritus Dr SS Badrinath told ET here on Wednesday. In India, there are only about a dozen nanomedicine specialists, he added.

Dwelling on the mega nanomedicine project, he said Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu have been identified as the twin locations to set up the institution. The project envisages an investment of Rs 250 crore and it would require about 100 acres. Given the pressure on land in cities, the nanomedicine institution is going to come up in a tier II location, he said.

SRF commissions wind power project in Tamil Nadu

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/News/News_By_Industry/Auto/Auto_Components/SRF_commissions_wind_power_project_in_Tamil_Nadu/articleshow/3121199.cms

NEW DELHI: Leading Tyre cord maker SRF Ltd today said all nine units of its 14 MW wind power project in Tamil Nadu, have commenced operations.

Located in Tirunelveli district, the Rs 90 crore project would fulfil almost half of the power requirement of its production unit in the state.

The power produced from wind energy, a carbon free resource would result in reduction of Green-House-Gas emission.

"With this project, SRF shall prevent emissions of about 35,000 metric tonnes of CO2 entering the atmosphere annually from power generation.

The climate impact correlates to planting 150,000 trees or removing 30,000 cars from the road," SRF Ltd Managing Director Ashish Bharat Ram said in a statement.

The project was approved by its Board of Directors in December 2007. SRF Ltd manufactures technical textiles, fluorochemicals and packaging films.

1. Cuddalore

2. Nagapattinam

3. Rameshwaram

4. Pamban

5. Colachel

6. Valinokkam

7. Kanyakumari

8. Ennore ( C)

9. Punnakayal (C)

10. Thirukkadaiyur ( C )

11. PY-3 ( Oil Field) ( C )

12. Kattupalli ( C )

13. Thiruchopuram ( C )

14. Manappad ( C )

15. Kudankulam

source:http://ipa.nic.in/TAMILNADU.htm

http://www.hindu.com/2008/06/14/stories/2008061452710600.htm

Tamil Nadu Electricity Board Chairman S. Machendranathan backed capital-based incentives, pointing out that they had spurred Tamil Nadu to its leadership position in wind energy.

He also announced that the State would now make a big push in the co-generation sector.

The TNEB has tied up Rs.1,200 crore in funding to set up 17 small plants in sugar mills, which could soon add 200 MW to the State’s generation capacity.

http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2008/06/14/stories/2008061451942100.htm

The Tamil Nadu Government will encourage the establishment of offshore and near-shore wind turbines to augment power supply, according to Mr S. Machendranathan, Chairman, Tamil Nadu Electricity Board.

Wind energy has helped the State meet the power demand over the last month or two with a supply of over 1,800 MW of power.

During the current year it hopes to harness over 2,500 MW of wind energy.

One issue with wind energy is that it is available only for about six-eight months.

But some coastal sites have been identified where over 10 months of power generation would be possible. The Government is looking at encouraging such offshore and near shore wind energy projects.

The State has ‘mainstreamed’ wind energy as a source of power.

Over 80 per cent of the wind energy potential has been tapped and the State is looking at ways to augment wind energy generation.

http://www.moneycontrol.com/india/news/ipo-upcoming-issues/goodearth-maritime-plans-ipo-by-year-end-/10/40/342576

Goodearth Maritime expects to come out with its initial public offering sometime before the end of 2008 to raise funds to finance its upcoming USD 800-million shipyard at Cuddalore, Tamil Nadu.

While Goodearth Maritime is yet to finalise the details, its Managing Director, Mr S. Madhan, indicated to Business Line that the company may need around USD 150 million (Rs 600 crore).

Goodearth, part of the Chennai-based Archean group, is putting up a shipbuilding facility at the coastal village of Selimbimangalam near Cuddalore.

The yard, which expects to deliver its first ship in 2011, will be capable of producing 25-30 ships a year, depending upon the size of the ship. The project is to be executed by a separate company, Goodearth Shipbuilding Pvt Ltd.

The promoters have completed acquisition of all the land required, 600 acres, abutting waterfront of 4.5 km.

The foundation stone for the project is expected to be laid by Tamil Nadu’s Chief Minister, Mr M. Karunanidhi, later this month.

Work will begin soon after and in good time the site will be a hub of activity with a lot cutting and welding of steel.

It should be some sight because there will be about 160 cranes in operation.

There will be a lot of Koreans too as Korea Maritime Consultants Co has been retained as consultants to the projects.

Hyundai is supplying the engines — already five engines, each with a capacity of 15,000 bhp, have been ordered for.

Incidentally, Hyundai is also a contender for the EPC (engineering, procurement and construction) contract for the project.

Major centre

When the yard begins functioning in full swing, it will make Cuddalore a major consumption centre for steel.

According to Mr Madhan, the yard will annually process 500,000 tonnes of steel (mild and high tensile).

Goodearth Maritime itself will be a major buyer of ships produced by the yard. Goodearth Maritime is a shipping company that began its life with an about-to-be-scrapped ship purchased in 2003 for USD 1.5 million (around Rs 7 crore, then). Today, the company’s net worth is Rs 600 crore. Last year, it achieved a turnover of Rs 270 crore, on which it made a net profit of Rs 150 crore — 55 per cent of turnover, an eloquent commentary on the current boom conditions in the shipping industry.

'Nearly 10 TN engg colleges among top 50 in India'

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Chennai/Nearly_10_TN_engg_colleges_among_top_50_in_India/articleshow/3128156.cms

CHENNAI: More than half-a-dozen engineering institutions in Tamil Nadu including the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT Madras) have figured among the top 50 tech institutions in the country in a national survey undertaken by the Dataquest magazine.

Colleges in Tamil Nadu, which have figured in the top 50 are the Coimbatore-based PSG College of Technology (15th rank), VIT University in Vellore (19th), Amrita School of Engineering in Coimbatore (21st), SSN College of Engineering near Chennai (28th), Coimbatore Institute of Technology (35th), Panimalar Engineering College in Chennai (42nd), Bannari Amman Institute of Technology in Erode, and the B S Abdur Rahman Crescent Engineering College in Chennai (50th).

Empee Sugars sets up sugar complex in Tamil Nadu

http://www.moneycontrol.com/india/news/pressmarket/empee-sugars-setssugar-complextamil-nadu/15/10/342731

Empee Sugars and Chemicals Ltd, a unit of Chennai-headquartered Empee Group, is setting up a state-of-the-art, integrated sugar complex with a capacity of 5,000 TCD (tonnes crushing per day) in Ambasamudram taluk of Tirunelveli District in Tamil Nadu.

“The capacity of the integrated complex is expandable to 8,000 TCD. The plant will include a 50 MW co-generation power plant, which will also qualify for carbon emission certificates (carbon credits), and a distillery with a capacity of one lakh litres per day. Keeping in tune with futuristic approaches to farming, we will be adopting corporate/ contract method apart from conventional methods for our cultivation,” Empee Sugars and Chemicals Ltd’s joint managing director K Jayachandran said.

“The Rs 515 crore, complex will be located on 300 acres of land and we expect the complex to go on stream by end 2009. The funding will be through a mix of equity and debt. We have already placed orders for long-delivery/ major equipments. Bio-compost will be a byproduct of the distillery and we have taken up this as a component of the pollution control exercise,” he said.

The integrated complex will manufacture Extra Neutral Alcohol (ENA) and Ethanol. The company has already commenced nursery cultivation for cane development. While focusing on corporate/ contract farming, the company will also mechanize farming activities.

The company has already obtained the sugar license and the civil works are expected to commence soon.

A portion of the power generated will be used for captive consumption to run the sugar and distillery operations. The balance will be exported to the TNEB grid. All the units of the complex are expected to commence operations simultaneously and the manpower requirement for the operation of the complex is expected to be around 500.

Deccan Cements unveils INR 432 crore CAPEX plan

http://steelguru.com/news/index/2008/06/16/NTA3MzU%3D/Deccan_Cements_unveils_INR_432_crore_CAPEX_plan.html

Mr Raju said that the captive thermal power plant, which was expected to be commissioned by this year end, would take its aggregate generating capacity to 27.5 MW. It currently has 4.5 MW hydel power and 5 MW wind power plants in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. He added that "We require around 22 MW for captive use and the surplus will be earmarked for merchant sales."

^^ More updates....

http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2008/06/17/stories/2008061751311000.htm

According to sugar industry sources, Empee Sugars and Chemicals, Dharani Sugars and Chemicals, Shree Ambika Sugars, Bannari Amman Sugars and a new entrant into the sugar business, Dhanalakshmi Srinivasan Sugars, have been allocated sugarcane command areas — the area earmarked for the sugar mills to exclusively source sugarcane from farmers — in different parts of the State.

This will be among the largest expansions in the sugar sector in the State. According to industry experts, the mills are expected to have sugarcane crushing capacities from 2,500 tonnes crushed a day (tcd) to over 5,000 tcd, with cogeneration and distillery linked to the mills.

Sugar mills would generally start with mill capacities based on the available sugarcane in the area and expand with the development of sugarcane in the area. On an average, a company setting up a 5,000 tcd sugar mill with a 30-MW cogeneration capacity and a 60 klpd (kilolitres a day) distillery will invest over Rs 450-500 crore in the project.
5,000 tcd mill

According to a press release from Empee Sugars and Chemicals, the company is planning to set up a 5,000 tcd sugar mill with a provision to expand to 8,000 tcd. It will have a 50-MW cogeneration plant and a distillery with a capacity of about 100 klpd of Extra Neutral Alcohol.

The Rs 500-crore project is expected to go on stream in 2009. Company officials said that work on the project would start in July and the potential they have assessed in the area is about 3 lakh acres of sugarcane. The company has put in place a 1,000-acre nursery to supply the sugarcane setts to the farmers.

Dharani Sugars has earlier announced intention to set up a 5,000 tcd sugar mill, 30-MW cogeneration facility and a 100 klpd distillery with a total investment of about Rs 450 crore. The details are being finalised, company officials said.

Bannari Amman Sugars is looking at a sugar mill in the range of about 2,500 tcd to 3,500 tcd. While Shri Ambika Sugars, an associate company of Thiru Arooran Sugars, is considering a 2,500 tcd mill to start with, details are not yet finalised, according to officials.

Dhanalakshmi Srinivasan Sugars is to come up near Perambalur and is a new venture by a promoter with interests in textiles and education sector.

Total cost Rs.447 crore; plan is to complete work by September next year

Initially, 26 districts (other than Dharmapuri, the Nilgiris and Tirunelveli) to be covered

5.25 lakh families under Below Poverty Line to be provided free power connections
CHENNAI: Three years after its launch at the national level, the Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojana (RGGVY) [scheme for rural electricity infrastructure and rural household electrification] is to be taken up in Tamil Nadu.

Initially, 26 districts (other than Dharmapuri, the Nilgiris and Tirunelveli) will be covered, and around 5.25 lakh families coming under the category of the Below Poverty Line (BPL) provided free power connections. [The project includes Ariyalur too. At the time of the project submission, Ariyalur had not been made a separate district].

The total cost is around Rs.447 crore. An official of the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board says the plan is to complete its execution by September 2009.

Aimed at electrifying all villages and habitations and providing access to electricity to all rural households, the scheme is also meant for giving free electricity connection to BPL families.

The scheme has two components. In respect of the component for creating rural electricity infrastructure, the Centre will absorb 90 per cent of the cost as grant with the Rural Electrification Corporation (REC), a Central body, taking care of the remaining 10 per cent in the form of loans to States. For the other component of providing free power connections to BPL families, the entire cost is borne by the Centre.

The first component accounts for about Rs.331 crore and the second, Rs.116 crore, according to an REC official.

Early this year, the Centre revised the subsidy for the BPL families from Rs.1,500 per household to Rs.2,200. In March, the REC issued a modified sanction order for the State.

Non-resolution of a few issues between the Centre and State governments came in the way of the scheme’s implementation. A principal feature of the scheme is that management of rural distribution has to be done through franchisees, who could be non-government organisations (NGOs), users’ associations, cooperatives or individual entrepreneurs.

While the Centre emphasises the enforcement of this condition, the State has been arguing against the franchisee system on the ground that the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board, which has, perhaps, the highest collection recovery rate in the country, can be entrusted with the task.

Similarly, the project has to be implemented through the system of turnkey. On Monday, the State issued an order, allowing the TNEB to entrust the project in 26 districts and all future works under the RGGVY to the Tamil Nadu Small Industries Corporation on a turnkey basis.

With regard to the franchisee issue, a senior government official says there are various models to be followed, The Centre has not specified any particular model.

However, clarity will emerge shortly. The official avers that the scheme will take off this year.

http://www.newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp?ID=IEB20080616120443&Page=B&Title=Business&Topic=0

BANGALORE: End-to-end knowledge and Business Process Outsourcing company, Adventity, has partnered with Fostera, a rural BPO organisation promoted by district administration of Tamil Nadu, to set up a rural BPO in Krishnagiri.

Fostera will provide the infrastructure for the new facility and Adventity will provide end-to-end training of resources for the ‘Pilot batch of hires,’ Adventity said in a statement.

Adventity will provide work related to voice and non-voice operations to be executed by Fostera. New centre is expected to carry out data conversion activities and is expected to employ around 100 people initially. Adventity has already developed a specialised training programme. The company is also looking at setting up similar centres in other ‘B’ class cities in India in the long run.

Kumar Subramanian, CEO of Adventity, said: “Our partnership with Fostera will provide us with access to talent and infrastructure in semi-urban areas like Krishnagiri and many more such regions in India. This region remains fairly untapped and gives us an opportunity to provide employment to the youth of Tamil nadu”.

The BPO industry in India has been eyeing the rural sector across the country as the next big destination for launching BPO services. Adventity’s foray into rural BPO furthers this trend, with low infrastructure cost and employment opportunities being many.

Indian BPO companies going rural will help bridge the gap between India's urban and rural divide, the statement said.

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1080618/jsp/business/story_9426824.jsp

Rail hotel contract
OUR CORRESPONDENT
New Delhi, June 17: The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) has awarded contracts to Zoom Developers to set up hotels in Mangalore, Puducherry, Chennai (Egmore) and Coimbatore.
These locations were among the six left for bidding out of the 30 sites which IRCTC had selected for its Rail Ratna hotel project.

“These budget hotels will cater to the growing demand of railway travellers, including tourists and business travellers,” said Rameet Trehan, director of Zoom Developers.

Last year, Zoom Developers in a consortium with Royal Orchid Hotels had bagged deals for 11 sites, and later won the bid for Bhubaneswar in a tie-up with the Toshali Sands group.

The total tally of Zoom Developers now stands at 19 sites, with Essel and Signet Corporation having five and four, respectively, out of the total bids on offer.

92.2 MW gas-based combined cycle power project commissioned at Valuthur, Tamil Nadu

http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=39633

The first stage of the 92.2 Mw Valuthur gas-based combined cycle power project was commissioned today at Valuthur in Tamil Nadu. The capacity of the first stage is 60 Mw and the balance 32.2 Mw capacity will be commissioned in a month’s time. Shri Jairam Ramesh, Minister of State for Commerce and Power and Shri Arcot Veeraswamy, Minister of Power, Government of Tamil Nadu were present on the occasion. The project is supplied with gas from a nearby gas field of ONGC and the turbines have been procured from the energy company, Ansaldo. The gas for the project is coming from ONGC wells of Ramnad zone.

Complimenting the TNEB on finally reaching this milestone, Shri Jairam Ramesh said that uranium fuel for the 2 x 1000 Mw units at Koodankulam in Tirunelveli district have arrived from Russia and both Russian-supplied reactors are likely to come into commercial operation by end-2009. The plans of the Department of Atomic Energy are to generate 20,000 Mw of power by the year 2020 of which 8000 Mw are to come from Koodankulam-type light water reactors. Shri Jairam Ramesh, however, said that unless India signs the IAEA safeguards agreement and obtains waiver from the Nuclear Suppliers Group guidelines, no more light water reactors other than the two coming up at Koodankulam would come up with Russian or French supplied fuel and reactors.

Shri Jairam Ramesh also complimented the TNEB for signing a MOU with BHEL to set up two 800 Mw supercritical units at Udangudi in Tuticorin district with a total investment of close to Rs 8500 crores. He revealed that the joint venture agreement between TNEB and BHEL forming the Udangudi Power Corporation Limited has been finalised and will be signed soon. The application for the coal linkage has also been made. The present schedule is to commence work by October 2008.

The Minister said that Neyveli Lignite Corporation (NLC) is putting up 2x500 Mw coal-based units in Tuticorin for which it had already signed a MOU with TNEB, with 89% share of NLC and 11% share of TNEB. NLC’s 2x250 Mw expansion project at Neyveli is scheduled for commissioning by June 2009. NLC is also actively pursuing with the state government the 2x800 Mw Jayamkondam lignite-based power project. On the 50:50 joint venture between NTPC and TNEB, Shri Jairam Ramesh said that orders for main plant and equipment had already been placed on BHEL by the joint venture NTPC Tamil Nadu Energy Company Limited for 2x500 Mw units at Vallur in Thiruvallur district. The Vallur project will have a third 500 Mw unit as well.

Regarding gas-based power projects, Shri Jairam Ramesh said that at present the situation is not very encouraging since about 13,400 Mw of gas-based capacity all over the country is operating at just about 53% PLF, as against the normal 90% because of acute shortage of gas. It is only when Reliance will commence gas supply from September/October 2008 and reach a supply level of around 80 million cubic meters of gas a day by March 2009 will the existing gas-based power plants in the country have adequate gas to operate at 90% PLF. Considering that India also needs to establish gas-based manufacturing capacity for urea in a significant way over the next five years, Shri Jairam Ramesh felt that it would be unrealistic to expect gas-based power generating capacity to increase substantially over and above that already in place and already in the process of commissioning.

92.2 MW gas-based combined cycle power project commissioned at Valuthur, Tamil Nadu

http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=39633

The first stage of the 92.2 Mw Valuthur gas-based combined cycle power project was commissioned today at Valuthur in Tamil Nadu. The capacity of the first stage is 60 Mw and the balance 32.2 Mw capacity will be commissioned in a month’s time. Shri Jairam Ramesh, Minister of State for Commerce and Power and Shri Arcot Veeraswamy, Minister of Power, Government of Tamil Nadu were present on the occasion. The project is supplied with gas from a nearby gas field of ONGC and the turbines have been procured from the energy company, Ansaldo. The gas for the project is coming from ONGC wells of Ramnad zone.

Never knew that there were ONGC gas wells in Ramanathapuram district. Also found that TNEB already has a 95 MW gas based power plant at Valuthur, so this newly commissioned project doubles the capacity at Valuthur plant. The project was carried out at a cost of 400 crore Rs.

Staff Reporter

http://www.hindu.com/2008/06/19/images/2008061950160101.jpg
NEW FACILITY: Minister of State for Power Jairam Ramesh and State Electricity Minister Arcot N. Veeraswami at the 92-MW natural gas cycle additional power station at Vazhuthur near Ramanathapuram on Wednesday.

RAMANATHAPURAM: The Nuclear Power Corporation (NPC) will set up six more plants to produce 8,000 MW on Kudankulam mode with Russian fuel support, Jairam Ramesh, Minister of State for Power, said on Wednesday.

A few of them might be set up at Kudankulam, the Union Minister said, inaugurating a 92-MW natural gas cycle additional power station, established by the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board at Vazhuthur near here.

Pointing out that the first consignment of enriched uranium had arrived from Russia, he said the first 1000- MW unit at Kudankulam would be commissioned in April 2009. Another 1000-MW unit would start functioning in December 2009. He said the country was badly in need of nuclear energy.

“Without the nuclear agreement, the support of International Atomic Energy Agency and Nuclear Suppliers Group countries, we cannot get fuel from Russia for the proposed projects.” The government would expand its cooperation with Russia and France, he said.

Referring to a number of power projects proposed by central public sector undertakings in the State, Mr. Ramesh said that work on the 14-year-old proposal to establish a 1,600-MW thermal power project at Jayamkondam was progressing well. The third phase of 500-MW project of the Neyveli Lignite Corporation would be commissioned in March 2009.

Arcot N. Veeraswami, State Electricity Minister, said an order had been issued for importing coal from Indonesia, Australia and China for merchant power projects. The imported coal would have just five per cent ash content compared to 40 per cent ash content coal available in the country.

Minor ports


As ports in Chennai, Ennore and Tuticorin could not handle the huge consignment of coal from other countries, the State government had already sanctioned a minor port for Manapadu. Such ports would also come up at Nagapattinam, Cuddalore, Marakkanam, Thirukadaiyur and Cheyyar. :cheers:

Source: http://www.hindu.com/2008/06/19/stories/2008061950160100.htm

Staff Reporter

SIVAGANGA: Commissioner of Railway Safety K.J.S. Naidu on Wednesday conducted a speed trial on the newly laid broad gauge railway track between Karaikudi and Manamadurai.

The train, with 4 bogies, started its journey at 11 a.m. from Karaikudi and reached Manamadurai at 11.37 a.m. It took just 37 minutes to cover a distance of 61 km. The speed trial was conducted at 126 kmph, except on some stretches, particularly bridges.

Accompanied by Hemant Kumar, Divisional Railway Manager, Mr. Naidu inspected the functioning of level crossings, signals, strength of track, station buildings and others.

Though he was satisfied with the overall work, sources told The Hindu that he had not yet given clearance to open the track for regular traffic due to some problems in the functioning of level crossings. He had directed the authorities concerned to complete all pending works.

However, sources added that he would issue clearance certificate in the next few days after ascertaining the completion of all necessary works.

The inaugural function is likely to be held in the last week of June depending on the no objection certificate, which is mandatory to open the track for traffic.

Besides an inaugural special, the existing Sethu Express from Rameswaram to Chennai via Madurai will be diverted on its original route, through Manamadurai, Karaikudi and Tiruchi. There is also a plan to operate two passenger trains from Tiruchi to Rameswaram immediately after the inauguration.

Source: http://www.hindu.com/2008/06/19/stories/2008061950250100.htm

Ok Play to diversify in auto component business

http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/006200806191922.htm

New Delhi (PTI): Diversifying into plastic automotive components space, leading plastic toy manufacturer Ok Play will invest Rs 70 crore to set up two facilities in Haryana and Tamil Nadu.

The company has also entered into a technology transfer agreement with US-based Solar Plastics for in order to develop for supplies to Indian and US markets.

"We want to have a share in the Rs 60,000 crore automotive industry in the country and reach sales of Rs 100 crore in production of plastic fuel tanks, dashboards, seats and JCB roofs for tractors, LCVs and HCVs by 2009-10," Ok Play Managing Director Rajan Handa, told PTI.

For the purpose the company would invest Rs 70 crore to set up two greenfield facilities.

"The new facility at Bawal in Haryana would have 60,000 square metre of industrial area in a 15 acre plot and the one at Ranipet in Tamil Nadu would spread across five acre and both would be ready by 2009-10," Handa said.

Ok Play expect the sector to witness a major boost by 2012 when Euro IV norms will make it mandatory to have plastic fuel tanks in all vehicles.

Work on the projects will be starting soon and the company is specially focussing on tapping the tractor market which sees introduction of 3.7 lakh new units a year.

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/News/Economy/Infrastructure/Tamil_Nadu_to_set_up_22_new_industrial_estates_in_two_years/articleshow/3146247.cms

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Government planned to set up 22 industrial estates in the state over the next two years, an official said on Thursday.

"There are already 78 industrial estates in the state and another 22 estates are expected to be addded in the next two years," TANSIDCO (Tamil Nadu Small Industries and Development Corporation) CMD D Rajendran said.

Speaking at the inaugural session of ACMEE 2008, the eighth biennial edition of International Auto Components and Machine Tools Exhibitions, here, he exhorted entrepreneurs and businessmen to make full use of the government's policy for SMEs.

CHENNAI/DHARMAPURI, JUNE 19 (PTI)
The Rs 1,330 crore Hogenakkal project would be completed by 2012 as scheduled, Tamil Nadu government said today as it opened commenced the work to provide drinking water for two districts bordering Karnataka where political parties are opposed to it.

A decision to go ahead with the project was taken at the two-day meeting of district collectors and police officials, chaired by Chief MInister M Karunanidhi, an official release said in Chennai tonight.

A report from Dharmapuri said the project office was inaugurated on June 17 and the work would be completed in two phases. Work on the project, which will provide potable drinking water to Dharmapuri and Krishnagiri Districts, would be completed within the stipulated period, Managing Director of Tamil Nadu Water Supply and Drainage Board Swaran Singh said.

He said work on the Japanese Bank for International Cooperation-funded project would proceed stage by stage and he did not envisage any hurdles in its completion.

Board sources said work would be started from March 2009 after the government finalised the tenders.

The project, for which Karunanidhi had laid the foundation stone on February 26 last, was opposed by pro-Kannada groups and political parties in Karnataka. BJP leader and Present Chief Minister and B S Yedyurappa had visited the site during the run up to the assembly election and objected to its implementation.

Karunanidhi, who put a temporary hold on the project till the Karnataka assembly elections were over, later ordered its implementation after completion of the poll process.


Tamil Nadu Electricity Minister Arcot N Veerasamy, speaking at the function, said coal would be imported from Indonesia, Australia and China for merchant power projects.

The imported coal would have just five per cent ash content compared to the 40 per cent ash content in domestic coal.

He said the state had granted permission for 15 private sector companies to generate 20,000 mw of power.

The TNEB got an allocation of Rs.25,000 crore in the state's budget and of this Rs.1,510 crore went for free supply of power.

In order to meet the power scarcity, the government planned to procure 600 mw of power from other states.

The Centre had sanctioned the setting up two ultra, 4,000 MW each, mega power projects in Cuddalore and Marakkanam at an estimated cost of Rs.32,000 crore. The government had decided to generate 50,000 mw of power in the state. Six mini power units using coal would be set up at Manapadu,
Nagapattinam, Cuddalore, Thirukadaiyur, Marakanam and Seiyur.

Source : Outlook .. Couldnt copy n paste the link

Chennai, June 18: The Rs.23.48-billion Tube Investments of India Ltd (TI) is negotiating with three foreign companies to enter the ultra premium cycle segment - price range starting from Rs.13,000 and going up to Rs.160,000.


"Though the market size is small we cannot afford to be absent in this segment," TI Cycles senior vice-president Arun Alagappan told IANS.

The proposed range will be in addition to the division's existing premium range bikes sold under the Hercules brand.

The deal is expected to be finalised by September, Alagappan said, while declining to name the companies -- believed to be based in Europe and USA. "The idea is to import the higher end products as completely built units (CBU) and assemble the lower end of the premium product range in our plants," he added.

TI will also make some of the components for the ultra premium end cycles.

Premium models apart, TI Cycles is also negotiating with another European company to ship out cycles and components.

"This deal is also expected to be finalised by September. The plan is to export 300,000 cycle kits over a three-year period. The buyer will assemble and sell the cycles under his own brand," he said.

Last week TI Cycles inaugurated its Rs.200 million electric scooter plant in Chennai and announced its plans of launching low- and high-speed BSA brand models.

The division's new plans - electric scooters, ultra premium cycles - and the already launched BSA WorkOuts exercise equipment are part of the division's strategy to take it to the next level.

Contributing Rs.5.77 billion to the company's turnover last fiscal, TI Cycles last year sold around 2.8 million units comprising 1.8 million specials, including mountain terrain and racing bikes, and one million units of the standard variant.

The target for the current year is 3.1 million units, Alagappan added.

India is the world's second largest cycle manufacturer after China, rolling out around 10 million units a year, but its growth is stagnating. The growth is only in the specials and the children's bikes segment, he added.

The top four players in the market are Hero Cycles, Atlas Cycles, Avon Cycles and TI Cycles. In addition there are several small regional brands.

TI Cycles' current focus is on increasing its retail presence with three format stores - BSA Go (located in cities retailing BSA branded products), Hercules Express (tier-II cities) and Hercules-BSA Zone (multi-brand outlets).

"By the end of this fiscal, we will have 55 BSA Go outlets, 70 Hercules Express and 200 Hercules-BSA Zone," Alagappan said.

The challenge in growing the market is to create excitement amongst the kids as well as the adults.

"We are now focusing on getting back the adults to ride cycles by organising adventure rides," senior vice-president of the bicycles and fitness division D. Raghuram said.

TI Cycles plans to formalise such activities by forming cycling clubs soon.

http://www.newkerala.com/one.php?action=fullnews&id=74660

http://www.business-standard.com/common/news_article.php?tab=r&autono=326603&subLeft=1&leftnm=1

T E Narasimhan / Chennai June 20, 2008, 0:46 IST

State-owned Tamil Nadu Newsprint and Papers Ltd (TNPL) is planning to invest Rs 1,000 crore to expand its paper making capacity to four lakh tonnes a year from current 2.45 lakh tonnes.

NPL also considering diversifying into cement manufacturing business, using waste wet lime sludge generated from its paper making operations and fly ash generated from its power boilers. The company is awaiting the state government's approval for both proposals.

Funding mechanism for both cement diversification and capacity addition is yet to be finalised said a top executive form TNPL. The firm plans to complete the capacity addition by mid-2010.

When the state approval is received, TNPL will be the first paper maker in the country to branch into cement production. Spiralling fuel prices, power cost and constraints in raw material availability prompt domestic mills to think for a price revision on PWP. Price of PWP is expected to increase by six per cent in July to Rs 46,000 to Rs 47,000 a tonne from the current price of Rs 44,000, added the source.

At present, the firm's Kagithapuram plant has boosted production of printing and writing paper (PWP) due to a rise in demand for PWP. The company supplies PWP to both domestic and international markets. Export accounts for around 22 per cent of the total production.

TNPL has completed a Rs 600-crore pulp mill expansion with the establishment of a modern pulp mill, which follows the elemental chlorine free production process.

The company has an installed power generation capacity of 96.6 megawatt (61.1MW thermal and 35.5 MW windmill) and transfers surplus power to the state grid. It will also commission a 20 MW turbine generator later this year, taking its total in-house generation capacity to 116.6 MW.

TNPL' net profit increased six per cent to Rs 27.38 crore in the fourth quarter ended March 2008 from Rs 25.72 crore. The company's total income rose 12 per cent to Rs 261.74 crore as against Rs 233.40 crore.

Total expenditure grew 13 per cent to Rs 217.39 crore.

Chennai, June 19 : The Rs.9.69-billion Tamil Nadu Newsprint and Papers Ltd (TNPL) says it will place an order for a new paper line at its Pugalur plant in Tamil Nadu next month.


The paper major plans to increase its capacity by 155,000 tonnes per annum (tpa) to 400,000 tpa on an outlay of Rs.7.25 billion.

The company announced it would commence trial production in October 2009.

"We expect to place the order for the paper machine next month," TNPL deputy managing director A. Velliangiri told IANS.

While he declined to name the companies that have submitted bids, it is learnt Europe's Voith Paper is one of the major contenders.

Velliangiri said an application for environmental clearance for the new paper line has been submitted to the central ministry of environment and forests.

TNPL, the largest exporter of wood-free paper has decided to put renewed focus on exports. "We expect to ship out around 45,000 tonnes this year," Velliangiri said.

For the current fiscal, the company hopes to roll out around 245,000 tonnes of printing and writing paper.

The company is also investing Rs.550 million to upgrade its existing machinery.

The company's daily production has risen to 720 tonnes from 520 tonnes following the completion of its Rs.5.65 billion mill development plan (MDP), Velliangiri said. The company now produces 100 tonnes of surplus pulp daily, and is exploring selling it in the open market at around Rs.28,000 a tonne.

Velliangiri said TNPl was looking for a partner for its proposed IT park in Chennai, and will start construction of a new cement mill at Pugalur later this year.

http://www.newkerala.com/one.php?action=fullnews&id=75208

Tamil Nadu to set up 22 new industrial estates in two years

Tamil Nadu Government planned to set up 22 industrial estates in the state over the next two years, an official said on Thursday.

"There are already 78 industrial estates in the state and another 22 estates are expected to be addded in the next two years," TANSIDCO (Tamil Nadu Small Industries and Development Corporation) CMD D Rajendran said.

Speaking at the inaugural session of ACMEE 2008, the eighth biennial edition of International Auto Components and Machine Tools Exhibitions, here, he exhorted entrepreneurs and businessmen to make full use of the government's policy for SMEs.

Industrialist and SPIC Chairman A C Muthiah, who inaugurated the conference, today said the country expects a robust growth trajectory, of 9.5 per cent in 2008-09 and the current slowdown was only an aberration.

High interest rates have not only led to increase in the cost of production for manufacturers but also had an impact on the demand for their products, he said.

Referring to slower growth in the industrial production activity, he said "the sluggish expansion in the manufacturing sector is one of the key elements that has led to the slower growth in industrial production".

In terms of growth, the Indian component sector has shown great advances in recent years, Muthiah said.

This sector has been growing at 20 per cent per annum since 2000 and is projected to maintain the high-growth phase of 15-20 per cent till 2015, he said.

On the exhibition, he said over 420 exhibitors, including 40 participants from China, Hong Kong, France, Germany, Israel and Italy, were participating. "From 25,000 visitors in 1994, the exhibition attracted 1,35,000 visitors in 2006.

source economictimes.com (http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/News/Economy/Infrastructure/Tamil_Nadu_to_set_up_22_new_industrial_estates_in_two_years/articleshow/3146247.cms)

ADAG Plans Rs.10K Power Plant In TN


http://www.rttnews.com/ArticleView.aspx?Id=637046


(RTTNews) - Monday, The Reliance ADA Group plans to set up a 2, 000 MW thermal power plant in South Tamil Nadu at an investment of Rs.10, 000 crores and is also trying to establish a power transmission line, reported the Financial Chronicle.

The company held discussions with the state government and Tamil Nadu Electricity Board. The company wants the government to acquire 1,000 acres land for the project while the government only wants to be a facilitator. The company men already visited several places for the plant and the government said that it could only facilitate in acquisition of land.

The company is also ready to set up a transmission line in the state to evacuate power as it has got license from Power Grid Corporation of India. But the state level norms do not permit private companies to establish transmission networks.

The company's hope to set up a power plant is however, not so vivid as Tata's titanium dioxide project is also coming up in Southern Tamil Nadu. Earlier, the company eyed at Jayamkondam lignite opportunity.

The company's Chief, Anil Ambani, met the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, M.Karunanidhi, and expressed willingness to set up a power and desalination plant near Chennai, said the report.

ICMS Power plans wind turbine generator plant in TN

http://steelguru.com/news/index/2008/06/22/NTE4MTE%3D/ICMS_Power_plans_wind_turbine_generator_plant_in_TN.html

ICMS Power, the wind mill technology division of International Consultancy and Management Services, is looking at the scope of starting a wind turbine generator manufacturing plant for domestic and industrial application in Tamil Nadu.

Ms Saritha Biju Nair executive director of ICMS Power said that the wind turbine generator production plans would be the next priority once ICMS puts its marketing networking for its range of domestic wind turbines in the state in place.

Ms Nair claimed that the 600 watt capacity wind turbines, for example, which can generate a maximum 150 units of electricity at an optimum wind velocity of 1.8 meter a second, have the potential to generate 280 units with Tamil Nadu recording an average peak wind velocity up to 15.5 meter a second, especially during the peak April to November season.

ICMS Power formally launched marketing of 'Unitron UE' series of domestic wind turbine in Tamil Nadu that comes in four variants of 600 watt, 1500 watt, 3300 watt and 4200 watt capacity generators.

ICMS is already producing these domestic wind turbines indigenously at its Pune plant and is in the process of extending marketing across the country.

Mr RC Ravi director of ICMS Power said that "We have already sold 1600 units, largely in north Indian states in the last 2 years and now, we have started aggressively marketing in south, especially in Tamil Nadu, which has huge potential considering the current phase of difficult power situation prevailing in the region."

Considering the high wind potential in Tamil Nadu, the low breeze technology driven wind turbines produced by the company will be highly suitable to meet the power requirements of domestic and small-scale industries.

TN goes into overdrive to sign mega project deals

TIMES NEWS NETWORK


Chennai: The Tamil Nadu government is getting into a proactive mode to attract investments. Over the next two weeks, the state is likely to sew up blockbuster manufacturing projects for products ranging from advanced cellphone networks to commercial vehicles. It begins with chief minister M Karunanidhi signing an MoU on June 26 with Nokia Siemens Networks, which will set up a facility for managing high-end networks of cellphone companies.
On June 28, an MoU would be signed with Belgium Hansen Drives, a manufacturer of windmills and related components, which will be followed by one with ATC Tyres on June 30. The agreement with the Daimler-Hero combine will be signed on July 7.
http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Default/Client.asp?Daily=TOICH&login=default&Enter=true&Skin=TOI&GZ=T

TN goes into overdrive to sign mega project deals

TIMES NEWS NETWORK


Chennai: The Tamil Nadu government is getting into a proactive mode to attract investments. Over the next two weeks, the state is likely to sew up blockbuster manufacturing projects for products ranging from advanced cellphone networks to commercial vehicles. It begins with chief minister M Karunanidhi signing an MoU on June 26 with Nokia Siemens Networks, which will set up a facility for managing high-end networks of cellphone companies.
On June 28, an MoU would be signed with Belgium Hansen Drives, a manufacturer of windmills and related components, which will be followed by one with ATC Tyres on June 30. The agreement with the Daimler-Hero combine will be signed on July 7.
http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Default/Client.asp?Daily=TOICH&login=default&Enter=true&Skin=TOI&GZ=T

Good news! I am getting concerned about the Nissan-Ashok Leyland project as no MOU has been signed after the cabinet approval.

TN to reallocate Videocon escrow to four projects

http://www.indiaelectricmarket.com/Cgi-bin/iemprojects/ProjectTrecker.asp#TN%20to

The Tamil Nadu Electricity Board (TNEB) has decided to-allocate the escrow capacity it will get by canceling the 1050 MW Videocon power project’s escrow to four projects.

These are the 500 MW lignite based Jayamkondam project of the Reliance consortium, the 103.5 MW project of Aban Lloyd, the 53 MW project of DLF Power, and the balance for the Ennore LNG project. The TNEB has agreed to buy 750 MW from the Ennore LNG project, for which a part of the escrow will come from the TNEB’s capacity and the balance through a payment support mechanism from the State Government.

The TNEB, which took a decision to this effect at a meeting of its members earlier this month, has sought legal opinion before it will formally communicate its decision to cancel the Videocon project’s escrow.

The TNEB feels that the tariffs for these two projects can be brought down substantially as the first year tariff for a natural gas based project in Andhra Pradesh is only Rs.1.79 per unit, while that for TNEB’s own Kovilkalappal project comes to about Rs.2 per unit.

The TNEB based its decision to cancel the escrow for the coal-based Videocon project at North Chennai on the delay in achieving financial closure, while the re-allocation of escrow is being done based on a CRISIL study, commissioned by it, of the comparative tariffs of independent power projects in the State.

Videocon Power Ltd. signed an escrow agreement in December 1999 with a condition that it achieves financial closure within six months. Videocon was given a one month extension of the deadline as its firm financing package had to be approved by the TNEB.

The TNEB also felt that the levelised tariff of Videocon was on the higher side and the board would have to pay over Rs.1000 crores per annum to Videocon as tariff, which was much higher than some other projects.

Of the 18 IPPS, whose levelised tariffs were analysed and ranked by Crisil, the 106 MW Samayanallur project was ranked 13th (domestic inflation of 5.5 percent and rupee depreciation of three percent), the 106 MW Samalpatti project 15th, the 330 MW Pillai Perumalnallur project 17th and the 250 MW ST-CMS project 18th. These projects have got escrow cover and construction is apace. The 200 MW GMR Vasavi project, which has started generation, is ranked 8th.

The levelised tariff (assuming inflation of 5.5 per cent and rupee depreciation of 3 percent) for Aban Loyd’s project is Rs.2.71 per unit, Ennore LNG (excluding port charges) Rs.2.76 per unit, DLF Power Rs.2.97 per unit, Jayamkondam Rs.3.22 per unit and Videocon Power Rs.4.07 per unit. The financial commitment by the TNEB to these projects will be Aban Loyd Rs.1.995 crores per MW per year, Ennore LNG Rs.2.027 crores, DLF Power Rs.2.184 crores, Jayamkondam Rs.2.368 crores and Videocon Rs.2.991 crores.

The TNEB’s decision to re-allocate the escrow capacity based on tariff has come as a rude shock to a number of other IPPs who were hopeful of getting escrow cover as and when it became available. The TNEB is using the Supreme Court judgement on the Madhya Pradesh escrow case as the basis for re-allocating the escrow

Looks ATC Tyres is a new project..cool

Found ATC(Addis Tyre Share Company)Tyres is a Ethiopia based company

http://www.matador-atc.com/index.cfm?module=ActiveWeb&page=WebPage&s=history


Still NM Tyres 400 crores tyres plant MOU is left

http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2008/06/24/stories/2008062451310200.htm


He said that Saint-Gobain was discussing with the Tamil Nadu Government on making fresh investments at the Sriperumbudur plant. “The Sriperumbudur plant is far from saturation. We have enough space to expand,” he said and added that there were considerable investment opportunities in high performance coating, advanced glass processing, automotive glass and speciality products.

Looks ATC Tyres is a new project..cool

Found ATC(Addis Tyre Share Company)Tyres is a Ethiopia based company

http://www.matador-atc.com/index.cfm?module=ActiveWeb&page=WebPage&s=history


Still NM Tyres 400 crores tyres plant MOU is left

I thought it is American Tyre Corporation :)
http://www.americantire.us/

Great News overall! So many new projects are being announced. Kudos to the government, ministers and officials.

Let us hope, from now on, TN Government and politicians concentrate on providing better governance, education and jobs instead of indulging in petty politics and personal vendatta.

If they do so, let us banish them from power and politics.

I thought it is American Tyre Corporation :)
http://www.americantire.us/


Might be...even i am not sure...let it be any ATC company.....investment should be minimum 500 crores...:)

Nod for rail traffic between Karaikudi and Manamadurai

CHENNAI: The newly converted broad-gauge line from Karaikudi to Manamdurai has been cleared for passenger traffic by the Commissioner of Railway Safety.

Commissioner K.J.S. Naidu, who conducted a safety inspection of the 61-km track for three days from June 16, certified that the line was fit for passenger traffic.

With the completion of this stretch , the Tiruchi-Manamadurai-Rameswaram gauge conversion project has been completed. The new line will enable the Railways to run direct services to Rameswaram from Chennai, through Tiruchi, Pudukottai and Karaikudi. The Chennai–Rameswaram Express, now running through Tiruchi, Madurai and Manamadurai, will soon operate on the new route, which will help to cut 53 km.

The line is likely to be thrown open for traffic on July 2. Union Finance Minister P. Chidambaram is likely to flag off the first train, says Southern Railway sources.

Southern Railway Chief Administrative Officer R. Ramanathan told The Hindu said gauge conversion from Tirunelveli to Tiruchendur (62 km), Dindigul to Kodaikanal Road (22 km) and Katpadi to Vellore (10 km) had also been completed, and the Commissioner of Railway Safety would soon inspect the lines.

Source: http://www.hindu.com/2008/06/26/stories/2008062654650500.htm

http://www.chennaionline.com/colnews/newsitem.asp?NEWSID=08969fc1-bbce-48cb-b22b-8950e34f7329&CATEGORYNAME=CHN

Chennai, June 26: The Mauritius based Pavers Foresight Smart Ventures (PFSV) would be setting up a "world class" footwear design development studio in Ambur, near Chennai, a top official of the company said.

Stuart Paver, president and chief executive of Pavers Foresight Smart Ventures Limited (PFSVL), a joint venture between London based Foresight Group and York based Pavers Limited, told reporters here the design studio would come up in three months, at an investment of USD three million.

"There has not been much of developing of new designs and own ideas in the footwear industry in India and this studio would therefore focus on new designs," he said.

"The first of its kind studio would focus on European designs and implement them for Indian users," Paver said.

The firm was planning a one million pairs a year footwear plant in a JV with a top Italian shoemaker, he said.

PFSVL was also investing in other sectors in India including the real estate business.

"Our joint venture company, Aditya Moda Realtech, is currently building a residential complex in Ghaziabad and has finalised a 1.2 million sq.Ft. Commercial complex, which would be completed by 2012 and have an endline value of USD 200 million," Paver said

http://www.business-standard.com/common/news_article.php?tab=r&autono=327156&subLeft=1&leftnm=1

Coimbatore-based Bannari Amman Sugars Ltd is planning to set up an integrated sugar complex in Tiruvannamalai district of Tamil Nadu.

According to a company source, the new sugar complex will comprise a sugar plant with a capacity of 5,000 tcd, a co-generation plant, distilleries, ethanol plant and bio-compositing units at Kolundampattu village in Tiruvannamalai district.

http://www.tn.gov.in/pressrelease/pr280608/pr280608a.htm

http://www.tn.gov.in/pressrelease/pr280608/pr280608_henson_transmission_international.pdf


A MoU was sighed between Government of Tamil Nadu and Henson Transmission International in the presence of the Hon'ble Chief Minister

Name : Henson Transmission International(World's second largest manufacturer)
Type : Gear box manufacturing
Location : Plant to come in Suzlon SEZ near palladam,coimbatore
Investment : INR 1500 crores
Employment : Direct-800 Indirect-200

http://www.business-standard.com/common/news_article.php?autono=327426&leftnm=3&subLeft=0&chkFlg=

Spinning mills in Tamil Nadu are faced with an uncertain future due to the shortage of cotton, rising labour cost, and inadequate and expensive power supply.

Mill owners in the state say the cotton shortage has been caused by a surge in export of raw cotton to countries like China, Turkey and Pakistan.

Tamil Nadu's spinning mills account for nearly 47 per cent of the total spindle capacity in the country. According to Coimbatore-based The Southern India Mills' Association (SIMA), of the installed capacity of 39 million spindles in the country, the utilised capacity is only 30.5 million.

SIMA secretary general K Selvaraju said the export of raw cotton from the country, even by official estimates, has crossed 8.5 million bales in the current cotton year (October 2007-September 2008).

"We think exports are likely to be closer to 10 million bales, even though the benchmark figure suggested by the Cotton Advisory Board for the year is only 6.5 million bales," he added.

Entry of foreign merchants, who buy raw cotton in India for exports to countries like China, Turkey and Pakistan, has been cited as the reason for the shortage of cotton for domestic consumption.

The stock to consumption ratio, which should ideally be 40-45 per cent, has hit an all-time low of 18 per cent this year in the domestic market. Exporters of cotton have booked forward (sale) contracts up to February 2009, according to Selvaraju.

"Shortage of cotton in the domestic market has pushed the prices of popular varieties from Rs 17,000 a candy to Rs 27,500 this year. We know that farmers have not sold them for more than Rs 20,000 a candy.

It is the foreign merchants who have gained from this price surge," the SIMA secretary general said. He added that exports should ideally be only 20-25 per cent of domestic production. A candy weighs 355 kg, which is a standard measure used by cotton merchants.

Against a production of 31.5 million bales a year, domestic consumption in India is around 24 million bales.

Indian mills are also suffering due to the unfavourable export-import tax structure. Selvaraju said while export of cotton receives an incentive of 1 per cent, there is an import duty of 14.3 per cent.

Mills in Tamil Nadu have also been suffering from the shortage of power along with rising labour cost. New state labour policies have pushed the daily wages for mill workers to Rs 230. "In countries like Bangladesh, you can get the same workforce for Rs 80 a day. How can Indian mills compete in the global market?" he asked.

Consistent power supply at lower tariffs is in fact pushing some of the mills from Tamil Nadu to Andhra Pradesh. "A few greenfield plants that could have come up in Tamil Nadu are now being set up in Andhra Pradesh. Some of the mills in Tamil Nadu are even thinking of shifting their bases to Andhra Pradesh now. At least 10-15 such cases are there," Selvaraju said.

"Cotton, power and labour account for 90-92 per cent of our costs. Mills in Tamil Nadu are hit on all the three counts," Selvaraju said.
:bash:

http://www.business-standard.com/common/news_article.php?autono=327407&leftnm=3&subLeft=0&chkFlg=

The offset printing industry in Sivakasi, 600 km south of Chennai, has hit a rough patch. The town, which accounted for about 60 per cent share of the country's offset printing business a decade ago, has seen its market share plummet to 20-25 per cent as most companies have started printing on their own or in the nearby units.

While the offset printing industry in the country witnessed growth of over 300 times in the last five to 10 years, Sivakasi recorded less than 15 per cent growth.

Automation, labour shortage, increase in raw material prices, power and logistics cost have been cited as the main reasons for this trouble, according to the town's printers.

"Sivakasi, which once ruled the offset printing industry, is now silent," said Rajesh Kumar, MD, Majestic Printers. With the number of printing units increasing not only elsewhere in the state but also in the other parts of the county, thanks to technological advancements, this "Kutti (small) Japan" is no longer the most preferred place for printing.

The industry grew just 15-20 per cent in Sivakasi to Rs 1,200 crore, compared with the overall domestic offset printing industry's growth of 300 per cent to around Rs 50,000 crore.

To make matters worse for Sivakasi, cost of raw material like paper, ink and chemicals has increased by 20-25 per cent.

Not very long ago, the town was one of the highest sales/excise/Customs duty paying centres, and even achieved 100 per cent employment.

More than 1,000 printing units, including the tiny ones, currently employ a workforce of nearly 25,000 compared with 50,000 three years back.

Most workers have migrated to Chennai, Andhra Pradesh, Bangalore, Kerala, Mumbai and even to Africa and Dubai, where the printing industry is fast catching up.

Majority of these labourers are in the age group of 18-25, added S Ashokan, former president of the Sivakasi Master Printers' Association.

Good salary, exposure to metros and foreign countries are the major reasons for the exodus of local workforce. In Sivakasi, a labourer earns Rs 200 a day, while two years ago it was less than Rs 100 a day.

However, in Chennai and Kerala, they earn up to Rs 350 per day, including accommodation and food. In foreign countries, the amount is much higher.

Though the industry trains local people to bridge the gap between demand and supply, they move out of Sivakasi to bigger cities once the training is over.
:ohno:

Port in Rameswaram to come up at a cost of Rs.95 crore

K. Suresh, Chairman and Managing Director, Sethusamudram Corporation Limited along with the Board of Directors, including Rakesh Srivastava, Joint Secretary (Ports), and A.R. Goyal, Director (Finance), Ministry of Shipping, had visited several areas to select a location for setting up a harbour on the Rameswaram island and administrative buildings for the headquarters.

The port would come up near Kothandaramar Temple at a cost of Rs.95 crore. It could be used for maintenance, service and other purposes.

Mr. Suresh said the State government had allotted 4 acres of land at Mandapam for constructing an administrative building and another 4 acres for residential quarters. A sum of Rs.31 crore had been earmarked for this. A total of 413 houses would be constructed, 45 of them initially. Tendering process had started. The foundation stone would be held in a month.

http://www.hindu.com/2008/06/30/stories/2008063051990400.htm

Tamil Nadu held a domineering position in India's wind power map, according to statistics released by the ministry of new and renewable energy. As of December 31, 2007, the southern coastal state had a wind power capacity of 3,712 mw accounting for 47 per cent of the total of 7,844 mw. Maharashtra with 1,646 mw came second with an all-India share of 21 per cent. Nearly 70 per cent of India's total current wind power capacity was added during the 10th Plan period (2002-07).

http://www.projectsmonitor.com/detailnews.asp?newsid=16410&secid=226

http://www.tn.gov.in/pressrelease/pr300608/pr300608_e_499.pdf

:cheers:

^^ Good News! Great!!

http://www.tn.gov.in/pressrelease/pr300608/pr300608_e_499.pdf

:cheers:


http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2008/07/01/stories/2008070152382300.htm

Chennai, June 30 ATC Tires Pvt Ltd plans to set up a Rs 400-crore tyre manufacturing facility in Tamil Nadu.

According to an official press release, ATC Tires promoted by Yogesh Agencies & Investments, a Mahansaria company, and Warburg Pincus, the equity investment company, signed an agreement with the Tamil Nadu Government to set up a tyre manufacturing facility in Tirunelveli district. It is to come up at the Gangaikondan Industrial Estate set up by the State Industries Promotion Corporation of Tamil Nadu.

Last year, Mr Yogesh Mahansaria, former CEO of Balkrishna Tires of the Siyaram Group, and Warburg Pincus acquired the Israel-based Alliance Tire Company in a $150- million deal. At the time, Mr Mahansaria announced that a greenfield facility would be set up in India to augment Alliance’s production capacity in Israel for producing specialty off-highway tyres.

Alliance is based in Hadera, Israel, and has been in business for over five decades in developing, manufacturing and marketing a range of off-highway tyres and passenger vehicle tyres. Its products are exported to over 65 countries and find application in agriculture, forestry, mining and construction industries.

ATC Tires will invest over Rs 400 crore over the next five years, the release said. The facility will generate over 1,800 jobs, 1,000 of them direct.

http://www.dinamalar.com/Topnewsdetail.asp?News_id=282&cls=

http://www.tn.gov.in/pressrelease/pr020708/pr020708b.htm

http://www.tn.gov.in/pressrelease/pr020708/pr020708b.jpg

Hope this nagarjuna refinery is truly coming up at Cuddalore. This project was conceived some 15 years ago

Hope this nagarjuna refinery is truly coming up at Cuddalore. This project was conceived some 15 years ago

i doubt. even if refinery comes up, petroleum may not. i am truly amazed with these private entrepreuners planning a new refinery when crude oil supplies are falling.

http://www.business-standard.com/common/storypage_c_online.php?leftnm=10&bKeyFlag=IN&autono=41378

Hyderabad-based Nagarjuna Oil Corporation to develop an all weather port at Thiruchopuram in Cuddalore disctirct, at an investment of Rs 1500 crore.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunindhi today laid foundation stone for the project.

The port will handle imported coal for the power plants in the district including for Tamil Nadu Electricity Board (TNEB) and for others.

Initial capacity of the port will be 250 lakh tonnes.

The port will also serve for the proposed Petrochemical and Petroleum Investment Region (PCPIR) in Cuddalore and Nagapattinam districts.

Tamil Nadu signs Rs.70 bn agreements for port, refinery

http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/business/tamil-nadu-signs-rs70-bn-agreements-for-port-refinery_10067105.html

Chennai, July 2 (IANS) Tamil Nadu government Wednesday signed a number of agreements with ship building and power companies for setting up projects worth over Rs.70 billion ($1.6 billion) in the state. Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi was present at the signing ceremony.

One memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed with the Good Earth Maritime Ltd, which will build the shipyard at Silambimangalam of Cuddalore district, about 400 km south of Chennai, said the government.

The company has pledged an investment of Rs.10 billion.

The project will be implemented in two phases and an amount of Rs.5 billion will be invested in the first phase. Ships with 45,000 deadweight tonnes (dwt) to 80,000 dwt, will be built at this shipyard, expected to start functioning by 2010.

Good Earth is a trading group dealing with granite, iron ore and other minerals and its ships carry coal for the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board (TNEB).

The government added that Rs.62.9 billion will be invested in Nagarjuna Oil Corp’s six-million-tonne per annum refinery at Cuddalore. This is said to be the single largest joint venture investment ever in the state.

Karunanidhi Wednesday laid the foundation stone remotely for the project. The refinery will provide feedstock for more units to be set up for petrochemical industries in the Cuddalore and Nagapattinam coast, officials said. The plant is expected to begin production by 2010.

The Hyderabad-based Nagarjuna Fertilisers holds 51 percent stake in the joint venture and Tata Sons holds 30 percent. Other investors include Cuddalore Port Development Co Pvt Ltd holding 10 percent, the Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corp five percent and Uhde, Germany, the balance.

URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/07/03/stories/2008070357090100.htm
Rs.4,000 cr. spent for railway works in TN
SIVAGANGA: The Indian Railways had spent Rs.4,000 crore towards various projects undertaken in Tamil Nadu during the last four years of United Progressive Alliance Government, said R. Velu, Minister of State for Railways.

Speaking at the inauguration of the newly-converted broad gauge section between Karaikudi and Manamadurai here on Wednesday, he said at the end of five years in office, the State would have got schemes worth Rs.5,332 crore. Various works to the tune of Rs.1,332 crore were being undertaken.

Mr. Velu said Bihar and Tamil Nadu had got special attention, as both States were neglected for several years. All sections of broad gauge were either completed or on the verge of completion. There would not be any metre gauge section in the State in the next two years.

Mr. Velu said the Madurai-Bodinaickanur section, which was almost abandoned for various reasons, would be brought under the broad gauge network.

Due to aggressive marketing and sincere attempts, the Indian Railways had earned profit of Rs.67,000 crore during the last four years. Chances were bright that the profit might touch Rs.1 lakh crore at the end of five years of UPA Government, he added.

Inaugurating the converted broad gauge section and flagging off train services on the route, Mr. Chidambaram said that it was because of cordial relationship between the Governments both at the State and Centre innumerable and important infrastructural projects were being taken up in the State.

If the unity continued further, several more projects could be taken up.

Mr. Chidambaram said one more train for the benefit of passengers of Sivaganga, Karaikudi and others would be operated between Rameswaram and Chennai...

http://www.hindu.com/2008/07/05/stories/2008070557420100.htm

To attract investments to the tune of about Rs.5,000 crore over a seven-year period

It is expected to generate about 50,000 jobs
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

PERAMBALUR: Land acquisition for the multi-product special economic zone (SEZ), to be developed jointly by GVK Infratech Private Limited and the Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation here is all set to be completed soon.

An area of 2,937 acres is being acquired for the project. Already, a major portion of the required land has been acquired and registered.

The lands are spread over the five villages of Pennakonam (South and North), Thirumanthurai, Peraiyur and Eraiyur, some 20 km away from here on the way to Chennai.

According to sources, just about 190 acres are yet to be acquired.

Some of the land owners, especially those with properties close to the Tiruchi-Chennai National Highway, were reluctant to part with their land, demanding a higher compensation.

The land owners, during recent talks with district officials, had agreed to sell their properties, the sources told The Hindu.

“The acquisition process has reached the final stages and we expect to complete it by the end of this month,” Collector Anil Meshram said when contacted.

The SEZ will cater to industries such as textile/garments, leather, engineering goods, pharmaceuticals, power, IT/ITES, iron and steel, fertilizers, chemicals, petrochemicals, floriculture, horticulture, electronics and communication.

The project is a joint venture between GVK and TIDCO, through a special purpose vehicle (SPV).

The project has received in-principle approval from the Board of Approval of the Union Ministry of Commerce and is expected to attract investments to the tune of about Rs.5,000 crore over a seven-year period.

The final approval will be obtained once land acquisition is over.

The SEZ is expected to generate about 50,000 jobs.

http://inwww.rediff.com/newshound/searchshowarticle.htm?rediffid=http://sify.com/finance/equity/fullstory.php?id=14708977

Chennai: Suzlon Energy Ltd plans to invest over Rs 4,000 crore in Tamil Nadu to set up a cluster of production facilities for manufacture of wind turbine generators and related components at the SEZ being set up by Suzlon Infrastructure. Also in the news
Inflation rate gallops to 11.63%
Insurance for investment
Honda's 'green' car!
According to official sources, Suzlon is considering establishment of manufacturing facilities by various companies within the group to produce the entire range of components that go into the production of wind turbine generators. This would range from turbines, windmill towers, rotor blades and forging and casting facilities.

Most of these facilities are to come up at Suzlon Infrastructure’s SEZ for the hi-tech engineering sector at Palladam near Coimbatore.

Recently, Suzlon’s associate company Hansen Drives signed an agreement with the State Government to set up a Rs 1,500-crore facility for manufacturing gear boxes for wind turbines at the SEZ.

Suzlon would be eligible for incentives under the Tamil Nadu Government’s new industrial policy announced last year, which categorises investments of more than Rs 1,500 crore in the manufacturing sector as super mega projects. Such projects are eligible for a package of incentives over and above the structured package announced for projects involving investments on a smaller scale. Also, the State has announced support for investments in industrially backward areas such as Palladam.

Suzlon’s subsidiary companies cover a range of operations including installation and commissioning of wind turbine generators, transformers, manufacturing of tubular towers, rotor blades and forgings and castings

http://inwww.rediff.com/newshound/searchshowarticle.htm?rediffid=http://business-standard.com/common/storypage_c.php?leftnm=10&autono=327728

Tamil Nadu is the only state in the country, which has four tier II cities of potential IT and BPO locations, including three in the challenger and one in the follower segments, according to a Nasscom-AT Kearney study on ‘Location roadmap for IT- BPO growth: Assessment of 50 leading cities'.

According to the study, Chennai is the leader, while Coimbatore, Madurai and Tirchy are the challengers and Salem is the follower.

To move to the next level, these cities will have to create the required pull to attract talent, strengthen its infrastructure, improve the quality of life, and increase inclusivity to accommodate the demographic diversity that growth will accompany.

The Indian IT-BPO sector has been a frontrunner of economic development in select cities, providing employment to a large number of people and improving the overall quality of life and amenities like education and healthcare in these cities.

The growth projections of the industry indicate that though seven cities including Chennai, Pune, Bangalore, Hyderabad, National Capital Region, Mumbai and Kolkata would see significant growth, they would need proactive planning and meticulous execution to support this growth.

Today 70-80 per cent of the revenues comes from these major cities. To reduce the pressures and, in turn, balance growth there is a need to develop tier II cities, which give various advantages, importantly cost advantage.

Compared with Chennai, cost advantage in Coimbatore is 34 per cent, Madurai 21 per cent, Tirchy 35 per cent and Salem 36 per cent.

But the challenge in these cities is lack of quality commercial space, infrastructure development, quality hotels, public transport in peripheral areas, availability of recreational and educational facilities and rise in labour and real estate costs, it pointed out.

^^

Is that mean Madurai is costlier than Coimbatore or vice versa?

^^

Is that mean Madurai is costlier than Coimbatore or vice versa?

Madurai is costlier than Coimbatore.

Madurai is costlier than Coimbatore.

I dont think MDU is costlier than cbe in all aspects.. And MDU known to be the cheapest Tier 2 city in TN compared with TRY, SA, CBE. exp Nellai.

What is or what product is costly in mdu?

I dont think MDU is costlier than cbe in all aspects.. And MDU known to be the cheapest Tier 2 city in TN compared with TRY, SA, CBE. expect Nellai.

What is or what product is costly in mdu?

Until we read their report in detail, it is difficult to explain. I guess it is the overall cost that might be higher in MDU. Things like airport connectivity or talent availability might increase the cost. But I do agree, MDU should be cheaper than CBE.

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/News/News_By_Industry/Services/Consultancy__Audit/PFC_Consulting_to_form_JV_with_an_international_firm_soon/articleshow/3202451.cms


UMPP in Tamil Nadu is on the fast track, site identification has been done, the source said, adding the four UMPPs in Orissa might face some delay due to water shortage.

http://www.dinamalar.com/Topnewsdetail.asp?News_id=282&cls=

http://www.tn.gov.in/pressrelease/pr020708/pr020708b.htm

http://www.tn.gov.in/pressrelease/pr020708/pr020708b.jpg



Think Goodearth Maritime shipyard at cuddalore should be the size of L&T shipyard at ennore when it is completed fully with an initial investment of 1000 crores INR

http://www.moneycontrol.com/india/news/ipo-upcoming-issues/goodearth-maritime-plans-ipo-by-year-end-/07/15/342576


Goodearth Maritime expects to come out with its initial public offering sometime before the end of 2008 to raise funds to finance its upcoming USD 800-million shipyard at Cuddalore, Tamil Nadu.

http://www.projectsmonitor.com/detailnews.asp?newsid=16425

Chennai-based Goodearth Maritime Ltd has proposed to develop a shipyard in Cuddalore district of Tamil Nadu with an investment of over Rs 3,200 crore.

Until we read their report in detail, it is difficult to explain. I guess it is the overall cost that might be higher in MDU. Things like airport connectivity or talent availability might increase the cost. But I do agree, MDU should be cheaper than CBE.

Yes Subra, u r correct. The local (talent) availability will be one of the main concerns for MDU which doesn't mean that no resource available. The quality/quantity of the Engg colleges will push the software companies to bring resources from outside which will be very expensive.

Cost of living is not at all an issue in MDU.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Rich_Maharashtra_Gujarat_fare_poorly_in_job_creation/articleshow/3203913.cms
:cheers:

When it comes to the manufacturing sector, while Tamil Nadu now has the highest number of units.

Daimler-Hero JV to start in 2010, make 70,000 trucks

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/News/News_By_Industry/Auto/Daimler-Hero_JV_to_start_in_2010_make_70000_trucks/articleshow/3203829.cms

NEW DELHI: The Rs 4,400 crore Hero-Daimler joint-venture project to build commercial vehicles will come up in Tamil Nadu. A memorandum of understanding (MoU) under the name Daimler Hero Motor Corporation (DHMC), will be signed on Monday at Chennai in the presence of Hero and Daimler top brass. The head of the Daimler truck division Andreas Renschler will fly down from Stuttgart for the signing ceremony with the Tamil Nadu government.

The manufacturing plant, which will initially focus on light and medium commercial vehicles, is likely to be established in a more than 1,000 acre campus. It will be an integrated manufacturing facility and will commence operations from 2010, with an initial production capacity of 70,000 trucks per year.

It will be an expandable facility and will roll out heavy commercial vehicles in the 49 tonne pay load capacity by 2012. It will give direct employment to around 2,000 people. The DHMC project will be set up under the Tamil Nadu "Ultra Mega Integrated Automobile Projects Policy" which offers huge concessions to automobile projects involving an investment of not less than Rs 4,000 crore in a single location.

DHMC would enjoy total refunds on VAT and CST, 100% exemption from stamp duty, concessional land and concessional power supply, but will have to start production within seven years of signing the MoU with the government. Besides the entire 'Input tax' is also refundable under this investment promotion policy.

"The facility will start with an R&D centre focusing on light and medium commercial vehicles being developed to suit Indian conditions. The new facility would avail heavy discounts from the Tamil Nadu government and help it to produce low-cost commercial vehicles for the domestic market and also utilise Chennai's port facility for export in the Asia Pacific region," sources in the automobile industry said.

In the new venture, Daimler will invest Rs 1,386 crore for 60% equity while Hero puts up Rs 900 crore for the remaining 40%. DHMC will handle the volume-oriented lower-end commercial vehicles and the top-end specialised products from the Daimler stable, like the Mercedes-Benz Actros truck range, will be rolled out from Mercedes Benz India's new Chakan plant.

DHMC will launch an all new brand of commercial vehicles in India and for export. The Stuttgart based Daimler will not bring its existing international truck brands - Mercedes Benz, West Star, Freightliner, Sterling and Mitsubishi Fuso - but develop a new full channel of low-cost range of trucks for the domestic and export market.

Warning bells ring over B`lore as BPO destination

http://www.business-standard.com/common/news_article.php?leftnm=3&subLeft=1&chklogin=N&autono=328033&tab=r

"Of late, we don't hear of too many companies coming to Bangalore, whereas we have seen many BPO companies starting operations in cities like Chennai, Noida, Kolkata and Kochi. I feel Karnataka is losing its advantage as a BPO destination," said S Nagarajan, founder and chief people officer of 24/7 Customer, a Bangalore-based BPO firm which employs around 7,000 people across various cities in India.

The primary reason cited by the industry for Karnataka's failure to attract new BPO investment is lack of infrastructure. Citing the Chennai example, Nagarajan said that the Tamil Nadu government has planned the city's infrastructure with the long-term interests of the industry in mind.

All manufacturing industries have shifted to the Sriperumbudur-Kancheepuram sector, while IT companies have been concentrated on the Old Mahabalipuram Road (OMR), also called the ‘IT Corridor'.

The six-laned OMR has been designed to enable traffic to flow freely.

"Karnataka is no more the industry-friendly state it was in 2000," Nagarajan lamented. But things can change. Hosur Road, which has one of the highest concentrations of Indian IT companies, by way of Electronics City and the Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board (KIADB) industrial layouts, saw market correct due to poor connectivity, with few companies expanding in this area.

77 more engg colleges in state from this year

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Chennai/77_more_engg_colleges_in_state_from_this_year/articleshow/3204420.cms

CHENNAI: Technical education in Tamil Nadu is set for a big leap with 71 new self-financing engineering colleges being established from this academic year. This, along with the six new government engineering colleges, effectively takes the number of technical institutions to 349, putting the state as the frontrunner in the field.

While the first self-financing engineering college in Tamil Nadu was established in 1984, the numbers started increasing significantly only in the later half of the nineties. With many engineering graduates landing plum jobs in information technology companies and the booming manufacturing sector, the state has witnessed frenzied growth in the field of technical education over the past five years.

This means an increase of 17,400 BE/BTech seats this year. Most of the new colleges are being established near Chennai and in the western districts of Coimbatore, Erode, Dharmapuri, Salem and Krishnagiri.

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/Economy/TN_to_garner_20_pc_of_nations_exports/articleshow/3210457.cms

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu is to lay emphasis during the eleventh five year Plan on strengthening its position as number one in the engineering and electronics sector to increase its share of the country's exports to 20 per cent.

As per the plan document, Tamil Nadu would seek to increase its share of the country's exports to 20 per cent in ten years and create an additional two million jobs by 2011.

The main highlight of the state eleventh five year plan was to achieve a sustained GSDP growth rate of over ten per cent, which in turn may call for an industrial growth of over 12 per cent.

Tamil Nadu Planning Commission Vice Chairman M Naganathan said the state government was committed to provide high quality infrastructure services and encouraging Public-Private Partnership for investments in infrastructure and promotion of Industrial Parks (IP) and Special Economic Zones (SEZ).

Quoting the findings of Annual Survey of Industries (ASI), he said in terms of factories, the state continued to retain the first rank for the seventh successive year starting from 1998.

He said the industrial investment in the state had gone up by 7.47 per cent from Rs 1,51,902 crore in April 2005 to Rs 1,63,245 crore in April 2006.

Of the total outstanding projects valued at Rs 1,75,177 crore as on July 2006, projects with an estimated investment of Rs 54,153 crore were under implementation.

http://www.business-standard.com/common/news_article.php?autono=328155&leftnm=8&subLeft=0&chkFlg=

In Tamil Nadu, the company is planning to set up facilities in Coimbatore, Trichy and Madurai. It has started the land acquisition process and the facilities would commence operations in a year or two. Trichy or Coimbatore facility alone would house around 2,000 employees, said Elango.

Mphasis facilities in Tamil Nadu would take care of applications and infrastructure management services, he added.

http://blogs.ibibo.com/ViewComments.aspx?blogid=fd696c54-3106-4ce0-ba19-82f488013d5b&mid=49fb386e-f4f8-4726-8358-0fceed00d69f

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi has sanctioned Rs 905 crore for upgrading and strengthening 3,784 km highways, main district roads and 284 bridges across the state, according to an official release.
The work will be executed under the Comprehensive Road Infrastructure Development Programme for 2008-09 and, as per the chief minister's orders, should be completed within the current year.
Nearly 364 km state highways will be widened under the above project. The government will also upgrade another 455 km state highways in the current year and 291 km main district roads will be widened. Another 497 km district roads will be strengthened in the current year.
The government has made available Rs 27 crore for improving road connectivity to the tourist spots in the state.


Source : Projects Monitor

Chennai-based Elango Industries Ltd has planned to set up an 80-mw coal-based power plant at Gummudipoondi near Chennai in Tamil Nadu. The plant, to be built with an invstment of Rs 415 crore, is expected to reach financial closure by December.


Elango, originally a steel ingot and bar producer, recently diversified into the power generation business. In 2006, it commissioned a 7-mw gas-based power plant at Mayiladuthurai in Nagapattinam district through a special purpose vehicle, Kaveri Gas Power Ltd. The plant that runs of gas supplies by Gail (India) Ltd from the Kuttalam gas field in the Cauvery basin caters to participating captive consumers.

Source : Projects Monitor

While Villupuram college is likely to be set up on 41 acres, Tindivanam college will get 20 acres

Each will have a team of 16-18 faculty members
--------------------------------------------------------------------------CHENNAI: Sites for the new government engineering colleges coming up in Villupuram and Tindivanam have been identified.

On Saturday, Anna University Vice-Chancellor P. Mannar Jawahar visited the sites with the Collectors and Revenue Department officials and approved the choices.

While the Villupuram college is expected to be established on 41 acres, about 7 km away from the town, the Tindivanam college will be given 20 acres, about 5 km from the town. Both sites are on government land, and likely to be handed over to the university soon, Dr. Jawahar said, speaking to The Hindu immediately after his return to Chennai.

While the land has been identified, the sites will not be ready by the time classes are due to start on August 8, so temporary venues have been identified. A municipal office in the heart of Villupuram has been set aside for the college’s use, and accommodation has been found nearby to run men’s and women’s hostels. Similar facilities have been identified in Tindivanam too. Orders have been placed for classroom furniture.

The faculty will be finalised by the end of this month, Dr. Jawahar said.

The Villupuram college will be headed by Rajamaniccam L. Sai, professor of Chemical Engineering, Anna University, Chennai. He will be appointed Special Officer, the equivalent of college principal. Anna University Industrial Engineering professor R. Raju will take charge as Special Officer of the Tindivanam college.

Interview on July 25
Each college will have a team of 16-18 faculty members. Advertisements for these posts have attracted a large number of applicants, Dr. Jawahar said. The candidates will be interviewed on July 25.

PUDUCHERRY: The work to expand the runway of the Puducherry airport here to operate bigger aircraft will be completed by September-end, according to Tourism Minister Malladi Krishna Rao.

Briefing reporters after inspecting various tourism-related projects on Saturday, he said around 80 per cent of the work to extend the runway from its present length of 1,200 meters to 1,500 meters had been completed. Immediately after completion of the work, the Airports Authority of India would operate services, he said, adding that initially AAI planned to operate aircraft from Puducherry to Chennai, Coimbatore, Tirupathi and Bangalore.

Besides airlines such as Indian, private players such as Jet Airways, Deccan and Kingfisher had evinced interest to start their operation from Puducherry, Mr. Rao said. The territorial administration in consultation with AAI was trying to sort out issues such as shifting of sewer line laid at the end of the eastern side of runway, samathi of a saint and a garbage dumping yard close to the runway, which had come in the way of completing the project, he further said.

“I have briefed Chairman of AAI K. Ramalingam about the problems. He promised me to despatch a team of officials to sort out the issues,” the Minister said.

Mr. Rao said the AAI had sanctioned Rs. 19 crore for the expansion work and from the territorial government side it had released around Rs 20 crore for land acquisition. The total expenditure involved in the land acquisition came to around Rs 30 crore, he said, adding that the Centre had promised to reimburse part of the amount.

On other initiatives taken up to promote the tourism industry in the Union Territory, he said around 100 acres of land had been acquired at Manapet village, on the Cuddalore Road, to set up a Special Tourism Zone (STZ).
The STZ would have a convention centre, spa, mini golf course, beach resorts, water sports and sculpture park, he added.

The Ministry would soon start the process to select the consultant for developing the STZ on Public Private Partnership mode at a cost of Rs.200 crore.

The Centre had promised to sanction Rs 50 crore under Large Revenue Generating Project scheme, he said.

Other key projects included beautification of Beach, construction of cottages at Chunnambar Backwater, revitalisation of Gandhi Thidal and Craft’s Bazaar, new building to house the Pondicherry Institute of Hotel Management and Catering Technology, renovation of the Seagulls restaurant, he said.
Mr. Rao said he was “apprehensive” about the completion of several of the projects owing to “paucity of funds.” As the Cabinet had not met for the last several months, minor administrative matters such as appointment of Department Heads had come to a standstill, Mr. Rao said.

http://inwww.rediff.com/newshound/searchshowarticle.htm?rediffid=http://www.thehindu.com/2008/07/13/stories/2008071351990300.htm

Guys,

Where is Pondy thread?. since forgot for long time, it is gone..hence posting here..:ohno::nuts: