The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) along with the Madras Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI) has launched a ‘sustainable action plan’ for the new government in Tamil Nadu to achieve and sustain double digit economic growth in the State.

In the last seven years, the State had reached an average annual growth rate of just over seven per cent.

ASSOCHAM chief Sunil Kanoria and MCCI president S.G. Prabhakaran released a paper titled ‘Action Agenda for the New Government of Tamil Nadu’ at a press conference in Chennai recently.

The paper recommended eradication of poverty and illiteracy, improving the standards of living, reducing gender and regional inequality to achieve growth and development in the State. It also suggested improving the infrastructure as another key area that needs to be focused upon to drive Tamil Nadu towards growth.

There is a need to revive the traditional labour-intensive industries of textiles, garments, leather, matches, fireworks and others comprising large number of small scale industries. Besides, significant industries in sectors such as automobile, chemical and transport equipment that are facing infrastructure, environment and labour related issues also need to be addressed, it said.

Power distribution systems should be made financially viable by bringing in modern system of management, use of information technology, enforcement of accountability and privatisation or franchising, thus a paradigm shift to power utility (demand side) management that combines engineering with economic principles, suggested the paper.

“The industry looks forward to a sustainable uninterrupted power supply and the Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation (TANGEDCO) should be speedily restructured to regain its prime position in the country for unhindered industrial progress in the State,” the paper added.

ASSOCHAM southern region council chair and co-chair Ravindra Sannareddy and Vinod Surana, ASSOCHAM and MCCI secretaries D.S. Rawat and K. Saraswathi were present at the press meet.