Tamil Nadu leads in PLI scheme benefits for industries

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced that Tamil Nadu is a leading beneficiary of the Central government's Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme. The state has received substantial funding, especially in the electronics and automobile sectors. At a recent event in Chennai, Sitharaman emphasized that Tamil Nadu ranks second in receiving PLI incentives for automobile manufacturing. She addressed concerns that the Central government was neglecting the state, noting several significant projects are underway. Sitharaman pointed out that Tamil Nadu has received the highest number of approvals under the PLI scheme in electronics and auto components. Out of 27 approved companies, seven are based in Tamil Nadu, representing about 25 percent of all beneficiaries. The state is also home to one of India's major electronic parts manufacturing clusters. The Central government has committed Rs 1,100 crore to support this cluster. Recently, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced plans for two more electronic parts clusters near Chennai, worth Rs 1,112 crore. In addition, Tamil Nadu has been granted approvals for 46 of the 82 applications under the PLI scheme for the automobile sector. The state has also secured funding for advanced battery manufacturing. Sitharaman further noted that the Central government has allocated Rs 7,453 crore for offshore wind energy projects in Tamil Nadu and Gujarat. She highlighted plans for India's first Green Hydrogen Hub Port in Tuticorin. Regarding infrastructure, she mentioned that over 1,300 kilometers of new railway lines have been added in Tamil Nadu.