THOOTHUKUDI: Thoothukudi could become the electric vehicle hub of South Asia, Industries Minister TRB Rajaa said at the groundbreaking ceremony of electric vehicle firm VinFast at SIPCOT campus in Sillantham village near Thoothukudi on Sunday.
Chief Minister MK Stalin, Thoothukudi MP Kanimozhi, VinFast India CEO Pham Sanh Chau, Animal Husbandry and Fisheries Minister Anitha R Radhakrishnan and Social Welfare and Women Empowerment Minister P Geetha Jeevan took part in the event.
“The EV manufacturing unit at Thoothukudi fulfils Stalin’s vision of decentralised growth, which will create jobs for highly-skilled workers in the backward regions. Cars will be manufactured here within 15 months,” Rajaa said and requested VinFast to hire workers under the Naan Mudhalvan scheme. The Naguneri Special Economic Zone, which has been lying idle for some time, will soon be revived, he added.
Speaking on the occasion, Chau said the firm’s integrated facility at Thoothukudi marks a significant step towards sustainable and electric mobility in India. The groundbreaking ceremony comes just a month after the firm signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the state government. The firm is committed to job creation, green transport and strategic partnerships, while substantially improving the local economy, Chau said. Industries Secretary V Arun Roy, SIPCOT managing director Dr Senthil Raj, District Collector G Lakshmipathi and others were present.
While speaking during a relief distribution event at Soosaipandiyapuram, Stalin announced the establishment of an Rs 25 crore trade facilities centre, among other projects for Thoothukudi and Tirunelveli districts.
Man mowed down by car in ‘CM convoy’
A labourer was killed after he was mowed down by a speeding car, reportedly a part of the chief minister’s convoy, at Maravanmadam on Sunday. Sources said the deceased, Martin Thavamani, a daily wage labourer from Thimmarajapuram, was heading towards Thoothukudi on a two-wheeler when he was hit by the car. Thavamani was killed on the spot. The body was sent to the Thoothukudi Medical College Hospital for postmortem. His family has urged the chief minister to provide compensation.