Attracting foreign direct investment (FDI) is the way for developing Madurai. Investment of Rs 1,000-crore will bring additional 30 per cent investment in support services.

For that to happen, Madurai Airport needs to be an operating international airport, said Mr S.R. Nageswaran, Managing Director, ITCOT Consultancy and Services, Chennai, here recently.

Delivering the inaugural address of the Sourashtra Industrial and Trade Conference (SITCON) organised for the first time by Sourashtra Chamber of Commerce, he said Chennai began to develop only after attracting FDI in 1994 with Hyundai and Nokia setting up their plants. Infrastructure development needs to precede such a flow and stakeholders in Madurai should strive to get international status for Madurai Airport.

More opportunities

When such a thing happens, there will be more opportunities for local entrepreneurs, he added.

The Chamber should come out with a compact disc of who's who of the Sourashtra community, as Sourashtra entrepreneurs are spread across the world in different fields.

Awards

He presented on the occasion the newly instituted SITCON STAR Award to Mr K.V. Bala, Chairman, Indo-Wind Energy, Chennai.

The Guest of Honour, former Member of Parliament, Mr A.G.S. Rambabu, in his address, suggested that the since the community has abundant human resources, especially in information technology field, a cooperative venture on the lines of an Infosys, Satyam Computers could be fostered.

Mr S. Rethinavelu, President, Tamil Nadu Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Mr N. Somasundaram, President, Madurai District Tiny and Small Scale Industries Association, Prof D.K. Subramanian, of television fame, offered their felicitations.

Mr C.K.Sekar, Chamber President, who presided, said the chamber started in 2007, had 850 members spread across Tamil Nadu and other states.

Related Topics
comment COMMENT NOW