TN mulls new Bill for single window clearance for industrial projects

The Tamil Nadu government is planning to introduce a new Bill to provide single-window clearance for industrial projects. The government has also assured the industry representatives of resolving the power issue shortly. To start with, it has agreed to reduce power cut for high tension industries from 30 per cent to 20 per cent with immediate effect.

Speaking to various industry representatives in Chennai on Saturday, deputy chief minister M K Stalin, who also holds the industries portfolio, said a Legislation would be brought forward to facilitate all clearances for industrial projects through a single window. A Bill pertaining to this will be introduced during the ensuing Assembly session, which will begin on June 17, Stalin said.

The deputy chief minister assured the industry that the power situation would improve in the coming years, with the addition of 1,000 Mw this financial year and augmentation of installed capacity by 2,100 mw by 2010-2011. Over the next five years, he said, 6,000 Mw of power would be added to the grids through various projects under implementation.

Quoting state minister for electricity Arcot N Veerasamy, CK Ranganathan, CII-Tamil Nadu State Council chairman, said the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board (TNEB) would also relax the peak hour restriction by 10 per cent for both high tension and low tension consumers to avail the lighting load.

As per the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE) data as on March 31, 2009, Tamil Nadu has attracted an additional investment of Rs 1.68 lakh crore, an increase of 41 per cent over last year. In the last three years, the government has signed 22 MoUs besides giving structured packages to eight industrial projects. These approvals have resulted in an investment of Rs 38,700 crore and employment generation to over 200,000 people.