TN deputy CM assures electronics hardware manufacturing policy to strengthen sector

The Tamil Nadu government would shortly unveil an electronics hardware manufacturing policy aimed at making the State a manufacturing hub for electronic hardware, deputy chief minister O Panneerselvam said Friday. Presenting the budget for the year 2019-20, Panneerselvam, who holds the finance ministry portfolio, said an Information Communication Technology Policy 2018 was already unveiled by Chief Minister K Palaniswami.

The Electronics Hardware Manufacturing Policy will be released shortly that will facilitate making the State a topmost manufacturing hub for electronic hardware, he said. Panneerselvam said the government would set up a Centre of Excellence for Emerging Technologies under TNeGA (Tamil Nadu e-Governance Agency) to harness artificial intelligence, machine learning, the blockchain, big data and Internet of Things.

For the year 2017-18, he said, total software exports from Tamil Nadu was at Rs 1,11,179 crore. Panneerselvam said the government has accorded approval to extend Tamil Nadu State Wide Area Network Phase-II operations and to integrate it with TAMILNET at a cost of Rs 443.64 crore. He said the government was in the process of implementing BharatNet through Tamil Nadu Fibernet Corporation which would connect village panchayats through the optice fibre.

(With inputs from agencies.)