Industrialists in the city have expressed their condolences to the demise of DMK leader M Karunanidhi.
In his condolence message, president of CODISSIA R Ramamurthy said, “Karunanidhi was instrumental in the development of industries in the state.” The former chief minister was the first to frame policies for micro small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).
“It is because of him the industrial sector, especially MSMEs, in the state continues to thrive despite several difficulties,” said K Maniraj, president of Kovai Power Driven Pumps And Spares Manufacturers Association (KOPMA).
The Tamil Nadu Small Industries Corporation Development (SIDCO) was established during his 1974-75 tenure, he said, explaining how SIDCO has become a platform for growth for youths.
The DMK patriarch indirectly helped motor pump manufacturers and dealers by making provisions to provide free electricity to farmers during his tenure between 2006 and 2009, he said.
A lot of farmers came forward to purchase motor pump sets for their farmland as they need not pay electricity bills for its usage and it benefited a lot of manufactures in the city, he said. Pump sets from Coimbatore had reached farmers across the state, he added.
“He paved the way for the livelihood of lakhs of unemployed youths by implementing the Unemployed Youth Employment Generation Programme (UYEGP) during 2009,” said S Ravi Kumar, president of Coimbatore–Tirupur Micro and Cottage Entrepreneurs Association (COTMA).
Under the scheme, industrial training was provided to youths who had completed Class VIII and they were later turned into entrepreneurs with industrial skills, he said. It is only during the DMK regime, generator and electricity subsidy were sanctioned.
The central government has made provisions to download the social security administration (SSA) certificate only recently, but Karunanidhi made it online in 2009 itself, he said.
It was Karunanidhi who introduced value added tax (VAT) regime, Ramamurthy said. The loss is unmatchable not just to the industrial sector but to the entire state, he added.
