| The CII report """" Industrialisation of the Southern Districts-the Unexplored Opportunity """" has focused on seven southern districts namely Madurai, Tuticorin, Virudhnagar, Tirunelveli, Kanyakumari, Sivaganga and Ramnathapuram. The study was conducted by Scope e-knowledge in partnership with Madras Consultancy Group. |
| According to the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy, there are 165 projects in the pipeline or proposed at an investment of Rs 34,566.79 crore in these seven districts at the end of February 2005. Tirunelveli tops the list with 32 projects at an investment of Rs 18,288.73 crore followed by Tuticorin with 19 projects at an investment of Rs 12,032 crore. |
| The study has established Madurai as a key hub for manufacturing in the northern zone of the districts. Tuticorin emerges as key-export-cum-services hub in the southern zone of the corridor with these two towns being linked by national highways. |
| The key stakeholders in the development of the southern districts include the state and the central governments, existing industries, CII and other association bodies and non-governmental organisations. |
| The state and central governments would have to play an active role in speeding the development of projects that are already in the pipeline. The state government would need to play a pivotal role in marketing the southern districts in order to attract more investments from within the country and overseas. |
| The key infrastructural priorities for the proposed approach would be enabling international air connectivity at the Tuticorin airport. If Tuticorin is to be promoted as an export and services hub there is a need to develop the Tuticorin port. |
| These seven districts account for 20.35 per cent of Tamil Nadu's population and 18.46 per cent of the state domestic product. |
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