Tamil Nadu's IT, ITeS exports pick up pace in 2017-18, grow 8.55%

The value of information technology (IT) and IT-enabled services (ITeS) exports from Tamil Nadu, South India’s third-largest exporter in the segment in recent times, grew 8.55 per cent in 2017-18 over a year earlier to Rs 1,111.79 billion. This is a significant pick-up, given that the state, facing a decline since 2014-15, had reported a modest three per cent IT-ITeS export growth rate last year. Industry leaders from Tamil Nadu said the state’s exports in the segment had been growing at a higher rate than the national average and that was a good sign for industries in the state. The IT industry’s average growth rate for India, according to industry body Nasscom, is around seven per cent. 

According to the latest policy note for the information technology department, the state government has said that the exports from Tamil Nadu have grown to Rs 1,111.79 billion (estimated), compared with Rs 1,024.15 billion during 2016-17, when they had grown 3.3 per cent over Rs 990.95 billion the previous year. The estimated investment in the IT and ITeS industry grew to an estimated Rs 399.81 billion during 2017-18, as compared with Rs 367.04 billion the previous year. In 2015-16, the investments had been to the tune of Rs 299.98 billion, according to the government, which cited the Software Technology Parks of India (STPI) and the commerce ministry. Among southern and south-western states of India, Karnataka was the top exporter of IT products and services (worth Rs 2,025.94 billion in 2016-17), while Maharashtra was the second (Rs 1,215 billion) and Telangana fourth (Rs 851.76 billion).

Tamil Nadu protest enters 100th day: 9 killed; ex-gratia announced; updates

At least nine people were killed and another 20 injured on Tuesday on the 100th day of protest against the expansion of Vedanta's Sterlite Copper unit in Tamil Nadu's Tuticorin, also known as Thoothukudi.

Protesters have alleged that the plant was polluting groundwater in their area. Sterlite Copper represents the copper unit of Vedanta Limited which operates a 400,000 tonnes per annum-plant in Tuticorin.

Chief Minister Palaniswami said in a statement in Chennai that the protesters took out a procession towards the collectorate in defiance of the prohibitory orders clamped in the specific area in Tuticorin.

Hurling stones and setting government vehicles and public property on fire, the agitators went on the rampage in the town, about 600 km from Tamil Nadu capital Chennai.

Police said nearly 5000 protesters gathered near a local church and insisted on taking out a rally to the district collectorate after they were denied permission to march to the copper smelter plant.

Padman review: Social message laced with humour, out-and-out entertaining

The concept for this film, Padman, is credited to Twinkle Khanna for the story that is based on the short tale in her book, "The Legend of Lakshmi Prasad". This story has been inspired by the life of Arunchalam Muruganantham a social activist from Tamil Nadu who revolutionized the concept of personal hygiene during the menstrual cycle in rural India by creating low-cost sanitary pads.

Incidentally, the film also shares the same premise as that of Phullu which was released in June 2017.

Set in rural Madhya Pradesh, Lakshmikant Chouhan (Akshay Kumar) a mechanic by profession and a loving and devoted husband to Gayatri (Radhika Apte) ensures that his wife leads a comfortable life by introducing small inventions to enhance her daily life.