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There is a perception among industrialists in Madurai that south Tamil Nadu is being neglected.
The potential for investment, be it in manufacturing, healthcare, hospitality or tourism, is huge, but has remained largely untapped. The government should plan projects and encourage investments, said MV Muthuramalingam, Chairman, Vellamal Educational Trust.
Land availabilityAccording to him, there is no dearth of land for projects. There is adequate energy and human resource available. “People in south will need some hand-holding. If the government moots some initiative to impart job-oriented training at subsidised rate, the unemployed youth in this region can be suitably placed,” he said.
Vellamal Trust has undertaken a survey to collate the number of students who have not been placed in recent years, particularly its own alumni, to see how the institution can support such candidates.
“The Trust is young and the students admitted here are mostly from the southern districts. Since a majority of them hail from a rural background, they refrain from moving further away to eke out a living. We have now decided to make a list of such candidates and help them set up shop, even tea stalls, so that they can be independent and be gainfully employed. We have just commenced this exercise,” he said.
The Trust operates a hospital and runs educational institutions as well. It recently forayed into solar power generation with the installation of a 10 MW plant. “We have submitted the application to the government and hope to start generation in four-five months. Once this is operationalised, we will be able to save up to 50 per cent of our energy cost. The investment on the solar project is around ₹60 crore," he added.
Velammal Trust has established the “Ida Scudder Convention Centre” in Madurai. Claiming it to be the biggest convention centre in the South, Muthuramalingam said construction of the 75,000 sq ft complex was completed in eight months. “We have invested around ₹25 crore on this project,” he added.
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