Government to conduct third edition of GIM in 2021

Minister for Industries MC Sampath, on Thursday, said that the GIM-III would be conducted in 2021 and efforts are taken to ensure smooth conduct of business. “Guidance bureau of the state government will develop a new state-of-art comprehensive single window portal by adding 30 new services to the existing 24 services. This will ensure end-to-end online delivery of 54 services by various departments to the investors,” he said.

DMK MLA and former minister, KKSSR Ramachandran, questioned the need for conducting GIM-III when former editions of GIM have not attracted the investments promised during the meet. “According to data provided by government, total investments attracted in GIM-I is Rs 64,000, but the value of MoUs signed was Rs 2.42 lakh crore. In GIM-II, the value of MoUs is over Rs 3 lakh crore but there is no sufficient information about the investments that came into the state so far. The state government should focus on attracting the promised investments first and then should proceed for the third edition,” said Ramachandran.

Replying to the DMK MLA, Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami said that only if such investors meets are conducted frequently more investments will pour into the state. “People will get interested to start their own businesses at different periods of time and so we are conducting GIMs periodically to attract them. Only if GIMs are conducted once in two or three years, the new investors will have a choice to invest in the state they wish,” said the Chief Minister.

He also said that 304 MoUs worth Rs 3.04 lakh crore were signed in GIM-II and before one week he had laid foundation stone for several companies which have signed the MoUs. The MoUs are signed with the intention to bring employment to rural youth, said Palaniswami.

The Chief Minister further said that during GIM-II, DMK president MK Stalin made fun of the investors by stating, “people on the roadsides were given coats and suits and they are made to sit in the investors meet.” The investors, who were hurt by the statement informed the CM about the comments. “However, the government is committed to attract investments irrespective of their size,” said the Chief Minister.