IT sector can play a major role in making TN $ 1 trillion economy: M K Stalin

Chennai: The government has taken up various measures towards making Tamil Nadu the global centre for information technology and the IT sector would play a major role in making the state's economy reach USD 1 trillion by 2030, chief minister M K Stalin said on Friday.

Stalin assured that the government along with the Industries Department would remove the hurdles that hamper the state's economy and growth. Information technology would play a role in the government's vision of taking the state's economy to USD 1 trillion by 2030, he said after inaugurating the 20th edition of Connect 2021 organised by CII and Electronic Corporations of Tamil Nadu (ELCOT) here.

Soon after the DMK stormed back to the power in May, the Tamil Nadu government rolled out an ambitious plan of taking the state's economy to reach USD 1 trillion by 2030. Stating that it was an information technology 'era', Stalin said a situation has come today there was nothing without the use of computer science and information technology.

"IT plays a vital role in the progress of a state and also in bringing big ticket investments. It is my desire that this conclave leads to creation of new job opportunities and taking the state in the growth path," he said. Stalin on the occasion also released the 'Data Centre Policy' of the Information Technology Department during the meet. Tamil Nadu was holding a special place on the establishment of data centres among other states, he said, adding the government has released the Data Centre policy to boost investments in the data centres sectors.

Appealing to software entrepreneurs gathered at the venue to adopt future technologies in their companies, he assured the government's support to them. "This government desires that in every sector like agriculture, production, services, there has to be a role of the IT," he said.

Stalin said to provide internet in all the panchayats in the state, the government was executing the Centre's BharathNet scheme to 12,525 village panchayats and expressed hope that through this digital services, internet education, tele-medicine facilities would be available in the villages.

The Chief Minister said the government has taken up various measures like expansion of Chennai Metro Rail and Chennai airport as part of the improving the state's overall infrastructure. New investments should be created in the IT sector and existing technologies be upgraded. Through this, new jobs would be created towards ensuring there was an overall growth in the state, he said.

Tamil Nadu was leading from the front in the IT sector which include hardware and software production, mobile phone production, manufacturing of computer and electronic parts, he said. The state held a vital role in software exports, he said and added that of the country's total electronic production Tamil Nadu's share was 16 per cent. (PTI)