The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) Coimbatore Zone, under its aegis of Coimbatore NXT initiative in association with region’s leading industry and business associations, organised a Special Interactive Session with the Ministers of Coimbatore Region on Saturday at Coimbatore.
The interactive session brought together industry leaders, entrepreneurs and representatives from leading industrial and business associations to engage with Sampath Kumar, Minister for Backward Classes Welfare, Government of Tamil Nadu & Minister-in-Charge of Coimbatore District and Vignesh, Minister for Prohibition & Excise, Government of Tamil Nadu, on the region’s growth priorities and opportunities for strengthening Government-industry collaboration.
Welcoming the gathering Nandini, Past Chairperson, CII Southern Region and Managing Director, Chandra Textiles, said that Coimbatore has always distinguished itself through its entrepreneurial spirit, industrial resilience and collaborative culture.
She noted that the city’s sustained growth has been possible because of the close partnership between Government, industry and institutions and expressed confidence that the interaction would further strengthen this relationship.
She appreciated the Ministers for engaging directly with industry and reaffirmed CII’s commitment to working alongside the Government in advancing Coimbatore’s long-term economic development.
Setting the context for the session, Noushad, Chairman, CII Coimbatore Zone and Founder & Managing Director, Walkaroo International, highlighted Coimbatore’s transformation into one of India’s most diversified industrial economies, with strengths spanning engineering, textiles, pumps, foundries, automotive components, healthcare, information technology, education, Global Capability Centres and emerging sunrise sectors.
He stated that Coimbatore NXT was conceived as a collaborative platform bringing together the region’s leading industry and business associations to work with Government towards a common vision for the city’s future.
He noted that through focused initiatives in infrastructure advocacy, investment promotion, logistics, GCC development, semiconductor ecosystem development and urban transformation, Coimbatore NXT seeks to position the region as one of India’s most competitive investment destinations.
Arjun Prakash, Committee Member, Coimbatore NXT, presented the vision and strategic roadmap of Coimbatore NXT. He outlined the initiative’s three key pillars—Growth, Visibility and Advocacy—and highlighted the collaborative efforts undertaken to strengthen Coimbatore’s positioning as a preferred destination for advanced manufacturing, innovation, Global Capability Centres, logistics, research and development and high-value investments. He emphasised that sustained collaboration among Government, industry and academia would be essential for realising the city’s long-term aspirations.
Presenting the progress achieved under the initiative, Sathish, Committee Member, Coimbatore NXT, highlighted the various engagements undertaken with Government departments, industry stakeholders and institutions to advance the city’s development agenda.
He outlined initiatives relating to airport expansion, logistics, infrastructure, policy advocacy, investment promotion, regional branding and talent development. He also moderated the interaction with the association leaders, facilitating a structured discussion on the region’s strategic priorities.
Representatives of the region’s leading industry and business associations, including SIEMA, SIMA, Indian Chamber of Commerce & Industry Coimbatore, IIF, CREDAI, Kongu Global Forum, Siruthuli and other partner organisations, addressed the gathering and presented a consolidated set of recommendations on issues relating to infrastructure, airport expansion, transportation, logistics, urban mobility, industrial competitiveness, MSME growth, sustainability, tourism, education, water security, manufacturing and investment promotion.
The associations reiterated their commitment to working closely with the Government in driving Coimbatore’s next phase of economic growth through a unified and collaborative approach.
Addressing the gathering, the Minister Vignesh, appreciated Coimbatore NXT for bringing together the region’s leading industry and business associations on a common platform and reiterated the Government’s commitment to working closely with industry in shaping Coimbatore’s next phase of growth.
Minister emphasised that before industrial expansion, the Government’s foremost priority is to strengthen drinking water, roads, sanitation and basic civic infrastructure, observing that sustainable economic growth must be supported by robust urban infrastructure.
He stated that the Government has undertaken scientific long-term water planning based on future population growth and demand projections to address the widening gap between water availability and Coimbatore’s growing urban and industrial requirements.
Noting that several of the city’s existing water supply systems were designed decades ago for a much smaller population, he said the Government is implementing comprehensive augmentation measures to meet future demand.
Addressing the city’s long-term water security, the Minister highlighted the ongoing initiatives to strengthen the Siruvani and Pillur water systems, including desilting works and infrastructure improvements, to enhance storage capacity and ensure a reliable drinking water supply for the region.
Providing a major update on the Vellalore Integrated Solid Waste Management Project, the Minister announced that the Government has commenced scientific remediation of the legacy dump yard.
He stated that the accumulated waste spread across nearly 650 acres is proposed to be scientifically processed and cleared over the next 8 to 12 months, following which less than 100 acres would be retained for modern waste management facilities while the remaining reclaimed land would be utilised for public welfare and future regional development.
The Minister further highlighted the development of the Integrated Bus Terminus at Vellalore as a transformational urban mobility project that would decongest the city centre, improve inter-city connectivity and support Coimbatore’s future urban expansion. He added that the Government is simultaneously advancing major road and mobility infrastructure projects to strengthen the city’s overall urban ecosystem.
Concluding his address, Vignesh assured that the recommendations submitted by the industry associations would receive due consideration and reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to partnering with industry in accelerating Coimbatore’s transformation into a sustainable, globally competitive and future-ready city.
Delivering the Special Address, Sampath Kumar, Minister for Backward Classes Welfare, Government of Tamil Nadu & Minister-in-Charge of Coimbatore District, commended CII Coimbatore Zone and Coimbatore NXT for bringing together the region’s leading industry and business associations through a single, unified representation, observing that such coordinated industry inputs enable the Government to prioritise high-impact development initiatives for the district.
The Minister stated that Coimbatore will be one of the principal growth engines in achieving the Chief Minister’s vision of transforming Tamil Nadu into a US$1.5 trillion economy, reaffirming the Government’s commitment to strengthening airport infrastructure, logistics, regional connectivity and urban infrastructure to support the city’s next phase of economic growth.
Responding to the recommendations presented by the industry, the Minister stated that attracting Global Capability Centres (GCCs), semiconductor industries, advanced manufacturing and automobile manufacturing investments to Coimbatore is a key priority of the Government, as part of its strategy to position the city as Tamil Nadu’s next major investment destination by leveraging its strong manufacturing ecosystem, engineering capabilities and highly skilled talent pool.
Addressing water security, the Minister informed the gathering that the Government has already initiated the desilting process for the Siruvani and Pillur reservoirs to improve storage capacity and secure Coimbatore’s long-term drinking water requirements.
On higher education, the Minister announced that the Government would take forward the proposal for establishing a Central University at Press Colony on Government land, recognising its potential to strengthen Coimbatore’s higher education, research and innovation ecosystem and further position the city as one of India’s leading knowledge and technology hubs.
Acknowledging Coimbatore’s strengths in medical, spiritual, wellness and eco-tourism, the Minister stated that the city deserves greater prominence in Tamil Nadu’s tourism development strategy and assured that the proposal would be taken forward with the concerned departments.
The Minister also responded positively to the industry’s request for 24-hour commercial operations, observing that Coimbatore’s growing IT ecosystem, GCC presence and expanding night-time economy require corresponding improvements in public transportation, urban mobility and regulatory support. He stated that the Government would examine the proposal on priority to facilitate business operations, improve safer mobility and enhance Coimbatore’s competitiveness as a modern investment destination.
Concluding his address, Sampath Kumar assured that the recommendations submitted by the industry associations would be actively pursued through the appropriate departments and reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to working in close partnership with industry to accelerate Coimbatore’s emergence as one of India’s leading centres for manufacturing, technology, innovation and sustainable economic growth.
