TN plan panel's 6-point agenda to cement State's top slot in auto sector
The report was submitted to Chief Minister M K Stalin by Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin, who is also the vice chairman of the SPC and its executive chairman J Jeyaranjan at the State secretariat on Monday.
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CHENNAI: The State Planning Commission (SPC) has proposed a six-point policy roadmap to cement Tamil Nadu's leadership in the global mobility transition.
The SPC report titled "Tamil Nadu's Automotive Future" recommended the establishment of a Tamil Nadu Mobility Innovation Fund to co-finance high-risk, high-reward R&D in key areas like battery technologies, EV operating systems, energy management software, hydrogen propulsion and lightweight materials.
The report was submitted to Chief Minister MK Stalin by Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin, who is also the vice chairman of the SPC and its executive chairman J Jeyaranjan at the State secretariat on Monday.
The report has concluded that the State must transition from being primarily a manufacturing hub to a centre for deep mobility innovation, which requires institutional and financial support for Research and Development, IP creation and product development. The commission has also recommended that the government develop mobility R&D zones co-located with existing EV hubs like Chennai, Coimbatore and Hosur with shared infrastructure like testing tracks, EMC labs, battery certification centres and digital simulation environments.
Among the recommendations was forging academic-industry partnerships with institutions like IIT-Madras and Anna University to promote translational research and offer fellowships and startup grants to researchers building commercially viable IP. The roadmap also proposed encouraging the participation of startups and MSMEs by offering plug–and-play access to public R&D labs and prototyping equipment.
Flagging the underutilisation of 1.5 lakh engineering graduates annually produced in the state in core R&D design functions, the action plan proposed the launch of the mobility skills 2030 program with courses in EV power trains, battery tech, embedded systems and data-driven logistics.
To ensure geographic and socially inclusive and equitable growth in the sector, the report pressed for prioritising job creation in backward districts using mobility as a vehicle for regional development and offering location-based incentives for firms setting up in non-urban clusters.
Making suggestions to strengthen EV ecosystem infrastructure, the SPC vision plan recommended accelerating the rollout of public charging stations, especially along highways, in industrial parks and urban mobility hubs. Advising the government to introduce smart and adaptive incentives, the SPC report recommended targeted time-bound incentives for commercial EVs, mainly e-trucks and e-SCVs. Concluding that the EV adoption in heavy commercial vehicles might not exceed 20% by 2030 without government support, the report suggested the creation of a mobility innovation and growth council with representation from government, industry, academia and civil society. The next phase of growth for the state cannot come without establishing a state-wide EV charging infrastructure master plan, incentivising private sector participation. The commission has exhorted the state government to consider mandating EV-ready building codes in urban planning and housing developments.
