Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Friday said efforts were on to ensure that Tamil Nadu retained the number one position in the IT space.
Inaugurating the 20th edition of CII Connect 2021, an international conference and exhibition on information and communication technology (ICT), he said most developments in Tamil Nadu, particularly in the area of information technology, happened during the time of former Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi, who was instrumental in creating the basic infrastructure during his tenure. He said in 1996, a separate department was created, along with an IT task force, which made possible the formation of the ₹340-crore TIDEL Park in Taramani on the IT corridor. Tamil Nadu is gaining importance in India in terms of manufacturing software and exporting electronic items to several countries, he said.
IT Minister T. Mano Thangaraj said the State was working on schemes and policies to ensure holistic development in the IT and ITES sector. The government has taken measures to digitise all offices in the Secretariat, focusing on e-Assembly, paperless Assembly, inclusive e-library, centers of excellence in the realm of artificial intelligence, blockchain and cloud computing.
Minister for Finance and Human Resources Palanivel Thiaga Rajan said the Finance Department would go 100% digital. There is a need for cross reference of data on the schemes that can benefit people from all walks of life, providing proper information that can reduce the workload of officials in government departments. The Minister recalled his recent visit to the IIT-Research Park and lauded the ecosystem there.
IT secretary Neeraj Mittal said the State had already churned out Unicorns like Zoho and Freshworks. “Start-ups, powered by information technology, will significantly contribute to GDP and jobs,” he said. During the event, an MoU was exchanged between TNeGA and the Chennai Mathematical Institute.
Connect was organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), in partnership with the Tamil Nadu Government, the Electronics Corporation of Tamil Nadu, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, the Union Government and the Software Technology Parks of India.
