TIRUNELVELI
While Chief Minister M.K. Stalin’s assertion that every district of Tamil Nadu would see industrial development under his government has triggered wild jubilation among the industrialists from southern districts, his failure to mention about the revival of Nanguneri Multiproduct Special Economic Zone, for which the then Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi had laid foundation stone in March 2001, has disappointed the unemployed youth and the industrialists.
After the SEZ concept revolutionized China’s manufacturing sector, the Nanguneri SEZ was approved by the Tamil Nadu Government in 2001 for manufacturing electronics, medical equipment, general engineering, precision engineering, automobile spares, solar and power panels and wind turbine generator spares including the wings etc., all less water-intensive and less polluting industrial units.
When the US-based ATMAC was initially entrusted with the job of developing the SEZ, it was expected that the venture would take-off in near future to give employment to over a lakh skilled workforce.
Though the Nanguneri SEZ, the pet project of late Union Commerce and Industries Minister late Murasoli Maran, became functional in March 2011 with a couple of manufacturing units and the facility, strategically located at a distance of 80 km from the VOC Port in Thoothukudi and 58 km from the Thoothukudi Airport, it is yet to attract huge investments due to SEZ-related issues.
Even though the investors are given incentives for the investments being made in the industrially backward areas like 50% discount in land price and there is no dearth for skilled and unskilled workforce in this region, nothing turned positive for this SEZ, thanks to official apathy.
When AMRL took over the land after the previous developer failed to make it happen, it was decided to develop the SEZ with a domestic tariff area and a free-trade and wearhousing zone on the 2,518 acres of land acquired for this purpose. However, less than 150 acres have been sold to the investors all these years.
Irked over the delay, State Industries Promotion Corporation (SIPCOT) was contemplating the possibilities of taking back 1,000 acres from AMRL Hitech City Limited to convert it into DTA and develop it as a joint venture between AMRL and SIPCOT.
“Even though the developer claims that companies involved in renewable energy, defence, aerospace, electronics and toy making are interested in setting up their units in the Nanguneri Multiproduct SEZ after relocating their China-based manufacturing units, the inordinate delay in realizing the investments irritates us very much. Hence, we are planning to acquire at least 1,000 acres of the 2,500-odd acres handed over to the developer for creating the SEZ-friendly infrastructure,” said a senior official attached to the Department of Industry.
Even though Industries Department officials are hinting that the Tamil Nadu Government would take back at least 1,000 acres of the 2,518 acres handed over to the private developer for the creating industry-friendly infrastructure to be given to prospective investors at a reasonable price to start their manufacturing units, there is no sign of things moving forward in this direction.
Minister for Industries Thangam Thennarasu, during his one of the visits to Tirunelveli, too had informed that the new government under Mr. Stalin was aggressively contemplating the proactive measures to take the entire complex to global industrial map on an early note by realizing huge industrial investments. However, there was no mention about the revival of Nanguneri SEZ during the Chief Minister’s address in Thoothukudi on Monday.
“We were eagerly expecting a positive announcement in this connection from the Chief Minister as he laid foundation stone for the world-class furniture park to come-up in Thoothukudi. The Nanguneri MLA and the Tirunelveli MP should have approached the Chief Minister, the Industries Minister and the officials concerned with the only plea of ‘Nanguneri SEZ revival’ before Mr. Stalin’s visit to Thoothukudi. The law clearly says that keeping the vast land assigned for industrial purpose vacant is illegal as it denies hundreds of thousands of youth employment.,” said Gunasingh Chelladurai of Bell Group of Companies and president of Tirunelveli District Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
“This land can be taken back by government for developing it on its own as government can spend money on such development works. Since the 21-year-old Nanguneri SEZ site, which should have been bustling with industrial activities by this time, has so far reached the hands of 3 developers, but nothing has happened in a big way. Hence, the government should take the land back. What is the reason behind this angering delay? Who is preventing the full-fledged SEZ development? The Chief Minister should put an end to this at least in the State Budget,” he said.
Published - March 08, 2022 05:45 pm IST
