DMK Govt Gave Higher MSME Subsidy Than AIADMK: Minister

Chennai, Apr 9 (PTI) The Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) sector in Tamil Nadu received a stimulus in terms of subsidy, allocation, and in encouraging entrepreneurship, steering positive growth in the state, MSME Minister T M Anbarasan informed on Wednesday.

During the last four years, the government provided an investment subsidy of Rs 1,290.88 crore to the sector after the DMK came to power in 2021.

"This sum was higher than the entire amount of Rs 1,409.89 crore extended to the MSMEs as investment subsidy during a decade of AIADMK rule in the state," Anbarasan told the Assembly.

Winding up the debate on the demand for grants for his department, he said on an average only Rs 141 crore was given per annum during ten years of AIADMK rule, whereas the DMK government provided more than twice the amount approximately Rs 290 crore every year, he claimed.

"I am proud to say that in four years the government encouraged 59,584 new entrepreneurs as against only 55,230 entrepreneurs in the previous AIADMK regime. The DMK government achieved in a short period more than what the AIADMK had done for ten years to this sector," the Minister said.

Similarly, due to the encouragement and guidance provided by Chief Minister M K Stalin, the government allocated a hefty amount of Rs 6,626 crore as against only Rs 3, 617.62 crore allotted for the sector by the previous AIADMK government, he said.

Making a slew of announcements, Anbarasan said the five percent additional capital subsidy for micro manufacturing enterprises will be hiked to 10 percent, Rs 20 crore will be allotted for companies related to natural resources with a view to improving their economic activities, infrastructure, employment, and long-term sustainable development, and Rs 18.18 crores would be allotted to promote infrastructural facilities for storing raw materials and manufactured products of handicrafts units and enterprises operating in villages.

About 120 youth from the Cauvery Delta districts would be trained at an estimated cost of Rs 1.20 crore for starting a food processing industry.

Co-working spaces would be created for Rs 23.33 crore for the benefit of industries and IT firms at 4 locations namely Guindy and Ambattur in Chennai, Madurai and Ranipet in the state, Anbarasan said.