TN will strive to inculcate ‘Climate Common Sense’, says Industries Minister Dr TRB Rajaa

Minister for Industries, Investment Promotion, and Commerce, Dr. T.R.B. Rajaa, on Tuesday, said that the Tamil Nadu government will strive to inculcate ‘Climate Common Sense’ into the TN public's mind urging them to be sensitive to this vital cause.

“Here in Tamil Nadu, the government is inculcating a climate common sense into our people. It is an inherent understanding as to what is good for the environment and what is not. It reflects a practical and informed approach to addressing climate change that is based on a shared understanding of scientific evidence and the need for collective, responsible action," he said at the India EV conclave hosted by the Tamil Nadu Government and Autocar Professional. 

Climate lessons for legislators 

“In Tamil Nadu, we are taking steps to achieve this in a systematic manner. We are reforming our school and college curriculums to create climate consciousness. Our youth are leading the way in climate action, and we are enabling them. We even had climate lessons for our legislators – we all sat down in a room one day and had trainers tell us how climate change affects us and what legislations maybe needed going forward.

I firmly believe that climate justice is also about social justice because it is understanding that vulnerable communities are often disproportionately affected by climate change’s impacts.” The India EV Conclave was held in partnership with the TN government ahead of the Tamil Nadu Global Investors Meet 2024, in which the Industries Minister spoke about how climate action and social justice share a common moral imperative.

Tamil Nadu leading green energy transition

Tamil Nadu, he said, was leading the ‘green energy transition’ revolution and the government’s commitment and efforts were acknowledged when it received the United Nations Promotion Award 2023 For Excellence in Scaling Up Energy Transition Investments at the World Investment Forum at UAE recently. “50% of our installed energy capacity is green today, and we are targeting 75%,” the Minister said.

“We are also in the process of developing a green hydrogen hub. If we also have a robust EV charging infrastructure, the transition from fossil-fuel dependency to green energy sources and renewables will benefit all,” he said.

Higher investments, more jobs

He said the EV sector in Tamil Nadu offered multiple benefits – lesser dependence on fossil fuels, increased investments with an estimated Rs 50,000 crore investments by 2025, generation of about 1.5 lakh jobs, and contribution to sustainable development goals. Women in rural areas around EV clusters would benefit a lot through employment generation opportunities, the Minister added.

Among the leading EV players contributing to large-scale production in Tamil Nadu include Ola, TVS Motor, and Ather in Krishnagiri, Ampere Vehicles (Greaves Electric) in Ranipet, BYD India in Kancheepuram, Stellantis (PCA Automobiles) in Tiruvallur, and E-Royce Motors in Coimbatore.

“Our State, led by Honourable Chief Minister Thiru M. K. Stalin, is policy-driven and has a clear vision of inclusive, sustainable growth. Tamil Nadu is among the few States with a future-ready EV policy,” he said.

The policy has paved the way for revolutionary changes in the way people will commute, backed by the ‘Battery-as-a-Service’ initiative. Plenty of subsidies are on offer for firms that come forward to install battery swapping stations, apart from concessions over cost on equipment and machinery purchase for setting up charging stations in public places.

Stating that the EV segment would be an important component in the Department of Industries, Investment Promotion, and Commerce’s contribution to the  Chief Minister’s vision of making the State a $ 1 trillion economy by 2030, he said the sector will get tremendous visibility during the forthcoming Tamil Nadu Global Investors Meet to be held on January 7 & 8, 2024. Global players and leaders in EV will attend the summit and share their insights at the session on ‘Sustainable Mobility: Shaping the Future,’ benefitting stakeholders of this sector in Tamil Nadu.

Speaking at the Conclave, Dr. J. Jeyaranjan, Vice Chairperson of State Planning Commission, said the State’s energy and transport departments should work towards EV transition in a systematic manner. “TANGEDCO should expedite the development of robust charging infrastructure. This involves establishing a comprehensive network of charging stations across Tamil Nadu to alleviate range anxiety and promote EV adoption,” he said, and added: “Transport department should formulate and implement policies that incentivise the transition to electric fleets.”

Thiru V. Arun Roy IAS, Secretary, Department of Industries, Investment Promotion, and Commerce, said: "40% of the EV four-wheelers and close to 70% of the EV two-wheelers sold in the country are made in Tamil Nadu."

Thiru V. Vishnu IAS, MD & CEO, Guidance, said it was well-known that Tamil Nadu is the EV capital of the nation, with over 40 leading companies having their presence here. He underscored the ongoing initiatives to propel Tamil Nadu into a prominent global EV manufacturing hub, emphasizing that these measures, combined with the State's existing industry strength, are poised to significantly enhance its role in contributing to global EV exports.

The Conclave, with the theme “Electrifying tomorrow: Navigating the EV transition”, brought together heads of new mobility divisions of automobile companies, auto component systems, EV charging wings, policymakers, government officials, and domain experts, among others. The one-day summit served as a thought and exchange forum and a platform to showcase path-breaking technologies that could pave the way for a sustainable future.

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