CHENNAI: Describing Tamil Nadu as a strong and silent performer in all sectors, Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami on Thursday showcased the achievements of the state government in every sector and said the state was striving for realising its aspirational goals - peace, prosperity and progress.
Speaking after receiving awards for the best performing state in the categories of 'overall performance', 'maintenance of law & order' and 'tourism' from the India Today group, at a function held in New Delhi, the CM said that during the past three decades, Tamil Nadu's economy had registered the strongest and most sustained economic growth among all states.
"It has become the second largest state economy in India, contributing 8.4 per cent to India's GDP. Tamil Nadu is one of the few states to reduce poverty at a rate faster than the all-India average," he added.
Palaniswami pointed out that the state's Human Development Index (HDI) was the second highest among large States, and much higher than the national average because of the consistent level of social sector expenditure in the areas of health, education, nutrition, welfare of women and children, welfare of the differently abled, welfare of the Scheduled Castes and Tribes and social security.
"We have today one of the best educated and skilled workforces in the country. The Composite Education Development Index places Tamil Nadu in the number one position. The gross enrolment ratio in higher education in Tamil Nadu is the highest at 8.60 per cent," he underscored.
He said high quality skilled human resources and infrastructure had made Tamil Nadu a very attractive investment destination. Tamil Nadu attracts the third highest foreign direct investment in the country. Recently, the international consultancy firm Frost and Sullivan and NCAER have ranked Tamil Nadu as a leading state in investment potential.
The CM also recalled that the state government had formulated a new environment policy, an e-governance policy, an eco-tourism policy, information communication technology policy, state forest policy, youth policy and food processing policy.
Policies in other critical sectors would also be announced to provide clarity and guidance to investors. Firmness on maintaining law and order has made Tamil Nadu a haven of peace, Palaniswami said, calling the Tamil Nadu police a professionally competent and well-equipped force with high levels of morale and motivation.
This has kept communal tension, left-wing extremism, religious fundamentalism and labour unrest at bay, the CM added.