Rs 400-cr footwear park at Ranipet on cards: CM Stalin

RANIPET: The government is currently processing the details to start a Rs 400-crore footwear production park, which can generate around 20,000 jobs in Ranipet, said Chief Minister MK Stalin.

The Chief Minister, who inaugurated the new Collectorate for the district constructed at a cost of Rs 118.40 crore, declared open 23 completed works estimated at Rs 32.18 crore and laid the foundation for five new schemes at a cost of Rs 22.19 crore besides handing over benefits totaling Rs 267.10 crore to more than 71,000 persons.

Speaking on the occasion, he said that the footwear park would elevate Ranipet into an international leather products export region.

Taking exception to being labelled as publicity monger, Stalin said he had ordered school bags with the picture of a former CM for distribution as removing it would entail wasteful expenditure of Rs 17 crore for the government. “When I visit the homes of those who are on the edges of society, I am called a publicity monger. But, I do this to encourage them,” he said and added that after being in politics for 55 years, he needed no fresh publicity.

People will remember my face when they think of 27 per cent reservation, paving the way for all community members to become archakas, announcement of Samuthuva Day and introducing a scheme to provide free travel for women in government buses, he said.

Stating that Tamil Nadu had slid back in the last 10 years, he said his work was to ensure that the state reached a pre-eminent position in all areas.

The Chief Minister hailed Ranipet district for ranking first in the state in the distribution of manjapai (yellow bags) to replace single use plastic bags. The Ranipet administration also created a world record by clearing 187 tonnes of plastic waste over three hours with the help of 36,000 volunteers. The Chief Minister urged other districts to emulate Ranipet in curbing plastic waste menace.

Those present included Ranipet Collector Baskara Pandian, Ministers Duraimurugan, AV Velu and R Gandhi and MPs S Jagatrakshakan and MP Kathir Anand and others.