The state government will sign 12 MoUs attracting investments to the tune of `21,000 crore including new proposals as well as expansion of projects by existing companies on November 5, chief minister J. Jayalalithaa told the Assembly on Thursday.

Making a suo moto statement Ms. Jayal­alithaa informed that the investment proposals were approved in the last two Cabinet meetings for seven new companies to invest in the state and for expansion of five companies. Her government will sign MoUs with these 12 companies both for setting up new facilities and expansion of the existing ones.

This will create direct and indirect employment opportunities for about 1.37 lakh people. The US-based PPG in association with Harsha Group will set up a fiberglass and float-glass manufacturing facility for `4,100 crore. TVS Group will set up a rubber and plastic parts products factory involving an investment of `700 crore, a new steel pipes and auto component manufacturing facility by Murugappa Group for `500 crore.

The US-headquartered Alticor Incorporated / Amway will set up its plant for `300 crore, Indo-Rama Corporation will set up synthetic fibre and petrochemical pl ants at Coimbatore and Ennore with an investment of ` 4,500 crore. BGR Energy-Hitachi will set up power equipment manufacturing plant for `2,325 crore and ADD Industrial Park will establish an integrated textile park near Coimbatore for `3,100 crore.

South Korean auto major Hyundai Motor will expand its production facility at its Sriper­umbudur facility at an outlay of `4,000 crore, she said.

Danfoss, Sanmina-SCI, Nokia and Saint Gobain will also expand their existing facilities.

13 bills tabled on one day

Chennai: The state government has decided to constitute an election commission exclusively for conducting free and fair elections to the cooperative societies in Tamil Nadu.A bill to amend the TN Cooperative Societies Act, 1983, which was among the 13 bills tabled in the Assembly on Thursday, seeks to form an election commission for “superintendence, direction and control of preparation of electoral rolls for and conduct of all elections to the cooperative societies.” The commissioner, not below the rank of secretary to government, will be appointed for a term of five years. A bill to enable Annamalai University to offer distance education courses in India or abroad, a bill to regulate unauthorised developments under Town and Country Planning Act, 1971, and another to empower deaf-mute to contest polls were tabled.

TASMAC brings comic relief

Chennai: The Assembly witnessed some lighter moments on Thursday when the CPI (M) pitched for shifting the Tasmac outlets from locations near educational institutions or residential areas to own buildings on the city fringes.
“No matter where you have the outlets, people flock to the shops. So, the government need not worry about losing its revenue and hence consider shifting the Tasmac outlets to own buildings in the suburbs,” CPI (M) leader A. Soundararajan said. The government could construct buildings for the shops functioning on rented premises, he suggested. Immediately, electricity and prohibition minister Natham R. Viswanathan remarked, “it’s good that you are supporting prohibition policy.” This send peels of laughter in the House