The Tamil Nadu Global Investors’ Meet (GIM) has been once
again postponed. But the campaign goes on so as to get an overwhelming response when it finally takes place. So the road shows go on, focussing on the following:

Tamil Nadu has registered striking progress in regard to attracting foreign direct investments. Large scale investments have flown into the automobile industry at Sriperumbudur, Maraimalainagar and Oragadam. Global giants, including Ford, Hyundai, Renault Nissan and Daimler, have made large investments for the production of automobiles. These have been massively supported by a large number of component manufacturers and suppliers of essential parts like safety glasses and tyres. These together have helped Tamil Nadu emerge as a strong centre for automobiles in Asia. The State has also evolved as a large exporter of fully built cars, commercial vehicles, two-wheelers and a vast range of forgings, castings and auto components.

The State also has its strengths in the IT sector. The special efforts made over the last decade had also attracted investments in a wide range of electronic goods.

• Tamil Nadu has certain unique advantages not offered by most other states:

• Strong infrastructure in terms of well laid roads and bridges

• A long coastline that has three major ports, Tuticorin, Ennore and Chennai, and a large private sector port – L&T at Kattupalli. The last named has also ship building, sophisticated fabrication and repair facilities.

• A strong network of institutions that offer higher education in science, arts, engineering. There are over 610 engineering colleges in the State that turn out a couple of lakhs of engineering graduates and postgraduates every year.

• Tamil Nadu is called the healthcare capital of the country, with a large number of super-speciality and speciality hospitals.

• Maharashtra and West Bengal have a longer history of industrial development; but industrial development is confined to a few pockets/districts of these States. Tamil Nadu has its development well spread over the entire State, from Chennai to Salem, Coimbatore to Tiruchi, Madurai, Tuticorin, etc. These towns are well- connected by road and rail.

• There are also a number of airports; four of them are international.

• Unlike in several other states, public sector units in the State, like BHEL, Neyveli Lignite Corporation, ICF and Chennai Petroleum, have been registering profitable growth and providing jobs for thousands.

• Stable administration known for its efficiency and other special features of the state.

• The financial infrastructure is also strong. With a strong spread of banking and non-banking finance companies, the State is the home for the largest NBFC, Shriram Capital Ltd., and the oldest, Sundaram Finance Ltd., that have rendered great service to lakhs of small businesses, especially truck operators. (Courtesy: Industrial Economist).

-S. Viswanathan