Indian Cellular Association today said mobile handset production in the country has been hit due to the suspension of operations at Nokia's manufacturing facility at Sriperumbudur near here and urged Tamil Nadu government to come out with a package to revive it.
The plea was made by representatives of ICA, apex body of the mobile phone industry comprising manufacturers, brand owners, application and solution providers, and distributors, during their meeting with state Industries Minister P Thangamani and top officials here.
"It was very positive meeting. They are extremely keen (to revive it)..", ICA President Pankaj Mohindroo told reporters emerging from the meeting attended among others by Information Technology Secretary T K Ramachandran, Industries Principal Secretary C V Sankar and Tamil Nadu Industries Guidance Bureau Executive Vice-Chairman Vel Murugan.
He said: "Suspension of production (at Nokia's plant) was like a tsunami. After a tsunami you expect the government to come with a revival package. That is what we have asked for".
"Mobile production took a hit after it (suspension of Nokia's production) as Tamil Nadu accounted for 10 per cent of handset manufacturing (in India). That can be achieved even without making any additional investments now", he said.
Nokia had set up its manufacturing facility at Nokia Special Economic Zone in Sriperumbudur belt near Chennai, which was home for several electronic parts manufacturers like Taiwan based Foxconn and others.
"We need to inform that Tamil Nadu is ready to embrace you (mobile handset manufacturers for setting up mobile handset manufacturing)", he said.
Nokia's Chennai plant, considered to be one of the world's biggest factories was manufacturing handsets to domestic and to overseas market.
However, after it faced tax issues with the Centre and State governments, the plant was kept out of the deal Nokia had signed with the IT giant Microsoft.
