CHENNAI: The Empowered Committee headed by Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami has given clearance to 36 projects worth Rs 15,000 crore in the last two meetings alone, said Industries Minister MC Sampath adding that this would provide job opportunities to about 23,000 people in the State.

In the last 10 months alone, the State has attracted 63 new projects through the Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) that were signed at the Global Investors Meet- 2019, the minister said in his inaugural address at the CII Tamil Nadu State Annual Meeting 2019-20 and Conference on Building Endurance in a Challenging Business Environment organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) here on Saturday.

He also said that out of 304 MoUs signed at the GIM 2019, as many as 59 projects have already started production and 209 MoUs are in various stages of implementation. He lauded the CII for partnering with the state government in organising awareness sessions and programmes on Ease of Doing Business across the State.

“All the approvals for new projects and expansions have now been made online and investors need not submit any documents manually,’’ the minister said and added, “A special cell for investment promotion has been set up at the chief minister’s office for speeding up all projects.’’The minister said the Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation (TIDCO) is formulating a Fin-Tec City near Chennai which will improve the services of banking and financial sectors.

In his keynote address, K Shanmugam, Tamil Nadu Chief Secretary, said the State has shown tremendous growth in terms of industrial development recording 8.17 per cent, while the nation recorded only 6.8 per cent growth. In his special address, N Muruganandam, Principal Secretary-Industries Department, Tamil Nadu government, said the State has a diversified manufacturing base for all types of industries and is leading the pack of other States in terms of the competitive nature of business and economic growth. He said the State has land banks for all types of non-polluting industries and the chief minister is reviewing the working of the high-power committee with regard to land acquisition and paying quick and adequate compensation to the landowners who are parting with their lands.

CM announces Rs 1 lakh solatium to 18 families
Chennai: Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami has announced Rs 1 lakh solatium each to 18 families, who lost members in various mishaps, from the Chief Minister’s relief fund, a press release on Saturday said.