CHENNAI: Chief Minister MK Stalin on Wednesday handed over sanction orders worth Rs 6.5 crore equity investment under the Tamil Nadu SC/ST Startup Fund to five startups that are run by entrepreneurs from Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe communities.
The investors who received the sanction orders are from electronics manufacturing, agri tech, healthcare, and food and agri sectors. These startups are based out of Chennai, Tiruvallur, Perambalur, and Kanniyakumari districts, and include two startups run by members of ST communities, out of which, one is fully run by tribal women.
The five companies include Ecopmin Technologies Pvt Ltd (Rs 3 crore), a manufacturing and trading company focusing on selling consumables to the Electronic Manufacturing Service (EMS) industry; Adhiban Farms Pvt Ltd (Rs 2.2 crore), which focuses on producing eggs as functional foods from ethically raised hens; COEO Wellness Pvt Ltd (Rs 60 lakh), which is into selling bamboo toothbrush manufactured through third-party vendors; Mannvasanai Traditional Food Pvt Ltd (Rs 45 lakh), which is in the business of procuring, processing and manufacturing millet and traditional rice products; and Nanjil Nadu Kani Tribal Women Creations Pvt Ltd (`25 lakh), a Kanniyakumari-based company formed and run by tribal women.
Until now, the government has given away sanction orders worth `34.6 crore to 26 startups. Investment from the government brings more credibility to the startups, helping them acquire new clients and expand to new markets. StartupTN also provides mentorship and post-investment support to help them achieve their goals more efficiently.
Meanwhile, Stalin also inaugurated through video conference school buildings, hostels, and community halls constructed at a total cost of Rs 32.95 crore in various places. He also laid the foundation stone for new hostels and classrooms to be built at a total cost of Rs 138 crore.
Speaking on the occasion, the chief minister gave a long list of welfare schemes being implemented for the SCs/STs in the state. “I have devoted myself to building a Tamil Nadu based on social justice, equality, and brotherhood. This government is designing a scheme to ensure everything for everyone. We strive for uplifting the SCs/STs in all spheres - socio-economic and educational aspects.”
He further said, “We have to establish an egalitarian society only through such sustained works. The government can ensure the growth of these communities in other spheres by allocation of funds, and visionary schemes and by monitoring their implementation. But social growth and changes in the mindset of people should blossom. Our journey towards that will continue,” Stalin added.
Minister for Municipal Administration K N Nehru; Minister for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises TM Anbarasan; Minister for Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments PK Sekarbabu; Minister for Labour Welfare and Skill Development CV Ganesan; Minister for Adi Dravidar Welfare N Kayalvizhi Selvaraj; Chief Secretary Shiv Das Meena; Secretary to Government, Adi Dravidar Welfare Department G Laxmi Priya; Chairman of Tamil Nadu Adi Dravidar Housing Development Corporation (TAHDCO) U Mathivanan; StartupTN Mission Director and CEO Sivarajah Ramanathan and other higher officials were present at the event.
