TN to be a $1 Trillion economy by 2030: Tamil Nadu Minster at OSH and SAFE South India 2022

Chennai, June 21, 2022: The 7th edition of Occupational Safety & Health (OSH South India) India and the 6th edition of SAFE South India 2022, which are the largest expos for workplace safety & security, organized by Informa Markets in India concluded at Chennai today. The expos had enthusiastic participation from the Ministry which included T. Mano Thangaraj, Minister for Information Technology, Govt. of Tamil Nadu, and top-ranking dignitaries from the Tamil Nadu, namely, Braj Kishore Ravi, DGP / Director, Tamil Nadu Fire and Rescue Services and M.V. Karthikeyan, B.E., Joint Director, Directorate of Industrial Safety & Health, Govt of Tamil Nadu, along with key dignitaries Chozha Naachiar Rajasekar, President, The Tamil Chamber of Commerce, Dr. Sharad Kumar, Airport Director, Chennai International Airport and Hemant Sapra, President of Safety Appliances Manufacturing Association.
 
Highlighting the dream of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Thiru MK Stalin to make Tamil Nadu the technology hub for the country, Thiru. T. Mano Thangaraj, Minister for Information Technology, Govt. of Tamil Nadu, said, “Tamil Nadu is looking to become a $1 Trillion economy by 2030, and each and every department is committed towards achieving this challenging goal. The IT Department has promised the Chief Minister that we would accomplish 10% of the goal, and we would leave no stone unturned in our attempt to achieve this goal. Investments in safety, security, and fire prevention, will also build confidence and encourage cross coordination within the industry and academia. I would once again like to thank Informa Markets for bringing these expos to Tamil Nadu, so that the local markets are also aware of the latest technologies that exist.” The Minister further elaborated on the industry and academia by saying, “The state is blessed with the best higher educational institutions and research centers, and we have a rich talent pool of over 4.5 lakh engineering graduates every year. There is also a major focus on rural development, with some of the best infrastructural facilities like road and rail connectivity, soon connecting almost all villages which is a 10-month project. Students would spearhead the development in the State and there is a lot of encouragement for Start-ups to go global.”
 
Chozha Naachiar Rajasekar, President, The Tamil Chamber of Commerce, spoke about how the global manufacturing sector took over 200 years to learn to make the workplace safe and secure for the worker. Safety and security are not only to be followed in industries, but also in business centers, service centers, offices and even in every other aspect of life. “Even in developed economies like the United States of America, more than 3 million people suffer injuries and other illnesses related to working in factories. Human life is precious, and we must recognize the fact that it is the quality of the workforce that determines the productivity of any industry. If we need to compete in the global marketplace and achieve sustainable double-digit growth, then it becomes imperative for us to put a lot of focus on safety and security at the workplace.”
 
After spending almost 32 years in the CISF and the Indian Oil Corporation,  Braj Kishore Ravi, DGP / Director, Tamil Nadu Fire and Rescue Services said “I have concluded that it is always better to prevent and prepare, rather than repent and repair. At Tamil Nadu we have one of the largest and more well-trained fire and rescue service teams in the country, with over 355 fire and rescue stations, as compared to one of the largest populated States like UP which has only about 340 fire stations. We also have a Sky-lift that can be raised to about 104 meters, which even a developed metro like Mumbai with all its high-rise structures does not have”.
 
“At the airport, Safety and Security are given the highest priority which includes Standards, Laws and Programs aimed at improving conditions for workers, co-workers, passengers, and other stake holders. The aviation industry is a key driver of the global economy, and India is now the third largest aviation market, hence despite this exponential growth no compromise can be made on safety standards. The Airport Authority of India (AAI) has always been the front runner, when implementing best practices in safety and security. The Chennai Airport has received the British Safety Council UK 2020 award for excellence in health and safety management standards apart from receiving the coveted 5-star grading for ensuring innovative occupational health and safety management systems and practices. More than 3000 construction workers and over 10,000 personnel, including aviation experts work round the clock in performing duties for the passenger’s safe and secure flight experience. In Sep 2020, we also struck gold in the ROSPA Health and Safety Award in recognition of excellence in health and safety performance at the site”, said Dr. Sharad Kumar, Airport Director, Chennai International Airport.
 
OSH South India 2022 and SAFE South India 2022 have been organized by Informa Markets which saw over 6000 visitors and 120 Exhibitors showcasing 200 plus brands over the two days. Yogesh Mudras, Managing Director, Informa Markets in India said, “We have successfully nudged the industry towards an ecosystem of safety and security with these twin expos concluding satisfactorily at Chennai. Focus on safety and security will launch the industry into explosive growth, as has been deliberated at the expos. We are looking to continue our good work in this domain and shall look at over 50% growth in participation in the next edition of OSH & SAFE South India. We thank the honorable Minister, policy makers, industry captain, associations, participants and all visitors who helped us make the expos a grand success.”