FM interacts with top industry captains of Tamil Nadu

Chennai, Feb 19 (PTI): Union Finance Minister NirmalaSitharaman on Friday held an informal meeting with topindustrialists of Tamil Nadu to elicit their views on thebudget she presented on February 1.

TVS Motor Chairman Venu Srinivasan, MRF Ltd Chairman MMammen, India Cements Ltd Vice Chairman N Srinivasan, formerAshok Leyland Chairman R Seshasayee and Apollo Hospitals MDSunita Reddy were among those who took part in the meeting,sources said.

This is the first time she is meeting industry captainsin Tamil Nadu after presenting the budget.

However, the meeting was out of bounds for the media andthe points discussed were not known.

Industry sources said the FM listened to the views putforth by the industrialists during the interaction.

The India Cements Ltd Managing Director N Srinivasan saidhe thanked the FM for presenting an 'outstanding' budget thatwould spur growth.

''The budget will spur growth. I told her that during thiscalendar year itself, all the industries, includingmanufacturing, will be running towards full capacity'',Srinivasan told PTI.

The official twitter handle of the FM's office sharedimages of the Minister interacting with the industrialists.

Earlier in the day, BJP Tamil Nadu unit President LMurugan received Sitharaman and presented a 'Vel' to her aspart of welcoming her to the state.

''Vel'' refers to a spear-like weapon that is traditionallyassociated with Lord Muruga.

''Presented 'Vel' to Nirmala Sitharaman on her arrival toChennai'' Murugan said in a tweet and shared an image of himpresenting it to her, along with State general secretary K TRaghavan.

Later, Sitharaman interacted with members of the BJPtraders' cell, sources said.