Centre to set up Rs 150 crore Technology Centre in TN

C Shivakumar

Chennai:

Amidst the economic downturn, the micro, small and medium enterprises
(MSME) in the state has something to cheer about as Union government
is planning to set up Rs 150 crore technology centre in the state.

Speaking to Express on the sidelines of district level seminar on
Unemployment Youth Employment Generation Programme (UYEGP) and
Opportunities for New Entrepreneurs organized by Federation of Indian
Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), director of MSME
Development Institute S M Jamkhandi said that the hi-tech technology
centre is likely to come up in Chennai.

“The Union government selected three sites, including Coimbatore, but
I am in favour of having it in Chennai as it is the automobile hub
besides it also has a sea port,” he said.

“The Technology Centre is likely to come up in 20 acres of land. The
land is about to be finalized. This could be a New Year gift to Tamil
Nadu from the Centre,” Jamkhandi said.

The technology centre would be ready within three years once the land
as well as necessary clearances are obtained after which we will train
10,000 entrepreneurs, he said.

The technology centre would basically cater to aerospace sector as
well as automobile sector. “We are also planning to have flight
simulator in the centre which an ordinary SME can’t afford,” he said.

Interestingly, the technology centre in Tamil Nadu would be the third
in the country. Bangalore will be setting up a technology centre at
Devanahalli to cater to aerospace sector while the second one is
sanctioned for Pondichery.

He said the Union government has identified 76 new technologies for
entrepreneurs, who want to enter new verticals. He also highlighted
the contribution of Indian entrepreneurs in making the moon and Mars
mission successful. For Chandrayaan, the MSME sector provided 16.5 per
cent critical components while for Mangalyaan it contributed 12 per
cent of critical components.

Earlier, state rural industries and labour minister P Mohan
inaugurated the seminar and highlighted the achievements as well as
incentives to MSME sector. He highlighted that the state is pioneer in
New Entreprenuer-cum-Enterprise Development Scheme. MSME secretary
Rajesh Lakhoni, Industries Commissioner Swaran Singh, Chennai
collector E Sundaravalli and former bureaucrat advisor to FICCI
president P Murari were also present on the occasion.