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The Hindu
21 hours ago
- Business
- The Hindu
Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Coimbatore, to organise programmes on AI for businesses
With businesses increasingly turning to artificial intelligence (AI), the Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Coimbatore, plans to organise awareness events and sessions on AI, especially for Micro, Small and Medium-scale Enterprises (MSMEs). The larger industries have consultants. The MSMEs need support to understand the applications of AI and how they can leverage it. The upcoming businesses in different verticals want the Chamber to have AI as one of its focus areas, said Rajesh B. Lund, president of the Chamber. At the annual general meeting of the Chamber held in Coimbatore on Monday, a set of resolutions urged the governments to strengthen broadband infrastructure in rural and remote areas, regulate AI for business security, explore the possibility of promoting AI research and commercialisation in Coimbatore, support self-regulatory initiatives for responsible Al before a legal framework is established, and extend financial support and incentivise AI research, development, and innovation, modelling these initiatives on successful practices from other States and countries. The Chamber has also sought immediate construction of an interim arrival terminal and a separate international enclosure. It was decided at the annual meeting to take up with the Central and State governments to take steps for widening of the existing runway and expand the Coimbatore International Airport, designate the airport as a hub and spoke airport, establish additional Customs counters, and expand the arrival and departure terminals and parking bays. The Coimbatore Airport should be listed as a point of call airport in the Bilateral Air Service Agreement (BASA) with ASEAN countries (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam) to provide access for both international and Indian carriers. It should be reinstated as a point of call in the BASA with the UAE to facilitate direct flights and from Coimbatore and Dubai, the Chamber said. Mr. Lund was re-elected president of the Chamber for 2025-26.
The Hindu
5 days ago
- Business
- The Hindu
Bengal Silicon Valley on track with 42 companies onboard: Minister Babul Supriyo
Exports in West Bengal's Information Technology (IT) sector have increased from ₹4,500 crores in 2011 to nearly ₹35,000 crores in 2025, State IT Minister Babul Supriyo said, highlighting the government's focus on its IT industry and the development of a 250-acre Bengal Silicon Valley project in New Town. Also Read | West Bengal CM Mamata announces new TCS office in New Town, spread over 20 acres 'In Bengal Silicon Valley, we had about 250 acres of land. All land parcels in the 250-acre Bengal Silicon Valley have been allotted, with 42 companies onboard. Nineteen of them have already started their work in some manner, and three are fully operational,' he said at ICC VisionTech - LEAD 2025, organised by the Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC) on July 12. Mentioning other IT parks in the State, such as Kalyani, Durgapur, and Siliguri, the minister added that all 10 Webel-owned properties in Sector V and the three in Siliguri have reached 100% occupancy. 'Tata Consultancy Services already had a campus here, where they had already employed around 50,000 employees. And just about a couple of days back, their Head also had a very fruitful meeting with our Honourable Chief Minister, in which the way forward has been crafted. They are holding strategic discussions on further expansion in Bengal,' he added. In his address, Mr Supriyo highlighted recent developments in the semiconductor sector in the State, with the recent establishment of GlobalFoundries' R&D operations in Kolkata. 'We are in the final stages of announcing forward-looking semiconductor and GCC policies to ensure a responsive, future-ready ecosystem. But we are taking a little bit of time because we want to make it as competitive with the other States and make it full-proof where we cater to the needs or the aspirations that are coming back to us right now,' he said. Mr Supriyo also addressed the extensive migration from West Bengal to other countries and other metro cities in the country. He underlined the comparatively lower costs of living in the State and the Chief Minister's vision to 'make Kolkata a leading IT hub of India'.
The Hindu
13-07-2025
- Health
- The Hindu
Deteriorating condition of water bodies draws attention at agricultural seminar in Coimbatore
The deteriorating condition of water bodies and its impact on agriculture emerged as a central theme during the deliberations at the seventh edition of 'Uzhave Thalai', an annual agricultural seminar organised by the Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI), Coimbatore. The event was held at the Codissia Trade Fair Complex on Sunday. S. Senthur Pari, president of ExNoRa International Foundation, delivering the keynote address, said that while 65% of the country's population remained engaged in agriculture, 88% of farmers owned less than two hectares and faced persistent challenges linked to shrinking water availability, poor soil health, and rising input costs. Citing government data, he pointed out that Tamil Nadu, despite comprising only 4% of India's land and 7% of its population, had access to just 2% of the country's water resources. Referring to Chennai's 2019 'Day Zero' crisis, he warned that Coimbatore region was dependent on neighbouring Kerala for drinking water while water for agriculture remained scarce. 'In the last 30 years, we have lost one-third of our water bodies,' he said. He added that urban lifestyle changes, coupled with polluted water sources, were contributing to rising health concerns, including diabetes and cancer. With water scarcity intensifying, farmers were now compelled to shift towards less water-intensive crops. The seminar featured sessions led by farmers and subject experts. Topics covered included neem-based agri-business management, tamarind cultivation in drought-prone areas, kodukapuli as a drought-resistant wealth crop, sustainable dairy practices, critical success factors for long-term viability, balanced feeding strategies, and nutrition requirements.
The Hindu
11-07-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
Seventh edition of agricultural seminar ‘Uzhave Thalai' in Coimbatore on July 13
The seventh edition of 'Uzhave Thalai', an annual agricultural seminar organised by the Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) Coimbatore, will be held at the Codissia Trade Fair Complex on July 13, Sunday. The one-day seminar from 9.15 a.m. to 4.30 p.m. coincides with the ongoing agricultural expo Agri Intex. According to a statement from ICCI Coimbatore president Rajesh B. Lund, the seminar will serve as a platform to inspire, educate and empower farmers and aspiring agri-entrepreneurs. ICCI Coimbatore vice-president C. Dorairaj is the chairman of the seminar, and S. Senthur Pari, president of ExNoRa International Foundation, Chennai, will be the chief guest. Speakers attending the seminar include T.N. Balamohan, former Dean of Horticulture College and Research Institute, Periyakulam; N. Sasikumar from Standard Agro Industries, Namakkal; R. Chitra, associate professor, Horticultural College and Research Institute, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University; D. Rajendran, principal scientist at ICAR – National Institute of Animal Nutrition and Physiology, Bengaluru; S.R. Thanammal, livestock expert and researcher at Kumaraguru Institutions, Coimbatore, and K. Karuppanasamy, manager at Animal Breeding Group, National Dairy Development Board, Gujarat.
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Business Standard
03-07-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
Steel industry calls for safeguard measures to protect local players
Jindal also said that in addition to the US and Europe, countries with very low steel production are also adopting protective measures Press Trust of India New Delhi Calling for protectionist measures to check cheap steel imports, Jindal Stainless Managing Director Abhyuday Jindal on Thursday said that the country has sufficient steel production capacity to meet the local demand. Jindal also said that in addition to the US and Europe, countries with very low steel production are also adopting protective measures. It is very important to protect "our country," Jindal said while addressing an Indian Chamber of Commerce's event here. "The US has done it, Europe has been doing it for quite some time. Now, nations like in the Middle East, where there is not much steel production, Canada, where there isn't much steel production, are also going for some kind of protectionist measures," Jindal, who is also the President of the Indian Chamber of Commerce, said. Jindal also appreciated the steps taken by the government to safeguard the interest of the domestic steel industry. "There was substandard, Chinese material coming in (through) from government is taking a clear view, there is enough capacity in the country, we can produce any kind of grade, any kind of quality that is required," he said. As per industry estimates, India's installed stainless steel capacity stands at 7.5 MT, with a current utilisation of about 60 per cent, indicating significant potential for ramp-up, provided the right policy environment and demand momentum are sustained. As domestic capacities are lying idle and 30 per cent of the consumption is still coming from imports, investment in stainless steel is bound to get impacted, Jindal said. India's stainless steel imports rose to 1.73 million tonnes in FY25, with China, Indonesia, Vietnam and South Korea being the major contributors, as per the market research firm BigMint. Jindal also advocated for a separate National Stainless Steel policy and taxonomy to promote the interests of the stainless steel sector. The government had released a National Steel Policy for the steel sector in 2017. In December 2024, Union Steel Minister H D Kumaraswamy released a 'taxonomy on green steel' for the steel industry with parameters for giving star ratings on products based on the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) emitted during the production process. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
