COIMBATORE: Tamil Nadu MSME Minister P Madan Raja on Friday said the department is conducting district-wise reviews across the state, asserting that chief minister C Joseph Vijay’s target of achieving a $1.5 trillion economy by 2036 is possible only if the MSME sector is taken to the next level.The minister chaired a meeting at the Coimbatore District Industries Centre to review the schemes being implemented by the MSME department and associated agencies.He distributed subsidy disbursals, loan disbursals and sanction orders worth Rs 63.18 lakh to 17 beneficiaries under schemes including the New Entrepreneur Scheme, Employment Generation for Educated Youth, Annal Ambedkar Business Pioneers Scheme and the Tamil Nadu Women Entrepreneurship Development Scheme.Beneficiaries were supported to start or expand ventures such as jewellery making, garment sales, tailoring, eateries, automobile spare parts manufacturing, cosmetics sales, grocery stores and coir-waste product sales.Madan Raja reiterated that youth should become job providers rather than job seekers.Later, a minister inspected the COSIEMA Industrial Park at Solavampalayam in Kinathukadavu taluk, during which the Coimbatore SIDCO Industrial Estate Manufacturers’ Welfare Association (COSIEMA) submitted a petition seeking immediate re-allocation of Rs 2.5 crore for road and infrastructure works at the Kurichi SIDCO industrial estate, an amount that had earlier been sanctioned and later cancelled.The association handed over a memorandum listing multiple demands, including reduction in power tariff.COSIEMA representatives highlighted a recent TOI report on the Kurichi SIDCO workers’ hostel, alleging high charges and that rooms were rented out to private individuals at rates above the govt-fixed price. COSIEMA president N Mathivanan said the minister had sought details from SIDCO officials present and assured steps to reduce hostel charges and ensure the facility’s purpose remains intact for MSME users.Earlier, the minister inspected a New Entrepreneur Scheme unit in Sundarapuram, a Rs 57crore gold jewellery park under construction at Kurichi Industrial Estate, SIDCO workers hostel and operating units in Kurichi village.At the Sakthi Industrial Estate in Pollachi, the minister assessed product quality and export potential and assured govt support.
