CHENNAI: The United Kingdom is helping the State government develop a roadmap to implement fintech policy, capacity building, bootcamp and ‘ask me anything’ sessions for start-ups. This comes after Chief Minister MK Stalin and British High Commissioner to India Alex Ellis on Tuesday launched a fintech partnership between UK and TN, said a release.
The collaboration will lead to an improvement in business climate, increased international trade and investments in TN, the release stated. A technical assistance programme in digital governance, where the UK will support digital governance initiatives of TN by developing a strategy to simplify and modernise departments was also launched.
It aims to improve accessibility of services to businesses and citizens, enhance efficiency in service delivery, augment transparency in decision making and governance, and create a state-of-the-art digital ecosystem. Additionally, TN Apex Skill Development Centre for Healthcare incorporated by State Skill Development Corporation signed two new pacts (MoUs) — one with UK’s AT&F Solutions, which will deploy online training courses with joint certification, and another pertains to OrthOracle UK collaborating in online orthopaedic medical education.
The Commonwealth Clean Litter Programme, an environment education pack on marine litter for teachers and students to enhance understanding of challenges caused by marine litter, was also released.
Under the joint work on ease of doing business, learnings on reform implementation have led to TN undertaking sustained reforms to reduce and simplify over 300 compliances for businesses. Eighty-eight obsolete and redundant laws were recently placed for repeal in the TN Assembly.
The UK is working with the Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board on tertiary treatment with ultra-filtration project. Filtration plants, to be set up with World Bank support, will help mitigate Chennai’s water scarcity.
Sustained reforms
Under UK-TN joint work on ease of doing business, learnings on reforms implementation have led to TN undertaking sustained reforms to reduce and simplify over 300 compliances