"I am truly delighted to be here today to dedicate to the nation BHEL’s Power Plant Piping Unit at Thirumayam, and the second unit of the company’s High Pressure Boiler Plant at Tiruchirapalli.

Bharat Heavy Electricals is one of our Maharatna public sector enterprises. It has played an extremely important part in the industrial development of our country, particularly in the energy sector. I believe that with the operationalization of these two units, the company has achieved an annual manufacturing capacity of 20000 MW. I congratulate my colleague Shri Praful Patel, Minister of Heavy Industry and Public Enterprises and the officers and staff of Bharat Heavy Electricals on this important achievement.

I would also like to congratulate my esteemed friend and colleague Thiru P Chidambaram, the Finance Minister of India, who was instrumental in persuading Bharat Heavy Electricals to locate the new Power Plant Piping Unit at Thirumayam, a backward block in Pudukkottai district. He has strived tirelessly for the all-round development of this region. This only shows the deep concern Shri Chidambaram has for the people of his constituency. It also exemplifies our Government’s commitment for the development of the backward regions of our country.

There are numerous benefits that such new manufacturing units bring to an area. They bring new employment opportunities for the youth. In addition to direct jobs, they also generate indirect employment through small businesses and service providers. There is a boost to skill development as such manufacturing units induct apprentices for training. There is also an increase in trade and commerce in the area, contributing to an overall rise in prosperity. I am sure that some of these benefits are already accruing to the people of Thirumayam and its surrounding areas.

Our country needs to do much more in manufacturing. We need to expand manufacturing substantially both in absolute terms and as a proportion of our Gross Domestic Product. Only this can enable us to generate productive employment for our large and growing labour-force. BHEL is not only one of our foremost manufacturing companies, but is also contributing to our efforts for expanding manufacturing by helping us make our economy more competitive.

To address the current power deficit and to meet the needs of our expanding economy, we need a large scale capacity addition programme. The Government is targeting a capacity addition of more than one hundred thousand MW, including renewables, in the 12th Five Year Plan. In the 11th Five Year Plan, the country added around 55,000 MW of generation capacity which is more than twice the addition achieved in the 10th Five Year Plan. Out of this Bharat Heavy Electricals alone accounted for almost half. This shows the critical role that the company plays in one of the key sectors of our economy.

I have been told that Bharat Heavy Electricals has been undertaking many new initiatives to expand its manufacturing capacity. The dedication today of Bharat Heavy Electricals’ new Units is an outcome of such initiatives. I understand that spread over 3 lakh square meters, the company’s Trichy complex is one of the biggest in Asia as a whole.

Today, Climate Change has become an urgent concern across the globe. India is among the countries that would be the most seriously impacted by the consequences of Climate Change. We need to develop ways and means to reduce our carbon foot‐print through technological innovation. In our country, more than 50% of power comes from coal-based generation, which is a major emitter of greenhouse gases. I am very happy that Bharat Heavy Electricals has taken initiatives for the development of ultra super critical technology in line with our mission for deployment of clean coal technologies.

The Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission seeks to develop 20,000 MW of solar power generating capacity by the end of the 13th Five Year Plan. Its success has the potential of enhancing India’s energy security, and contributing handsomely to our efforts to combat climate change. I sincerely hope that Bharat Heavy Electricals, which is bestowed with engineering expertise, manufacturing prowess and a commendable human resource base, will not only take the lead in solar energy in terms of power generation but also in the development of solar power technology in India. This is a difficult commercial decision, but well worth taking in the long term interest of our country.

Let me conclude by wishing the people of Tamil Nadu, Pudukkotai and Thirumayam all the very best for the future. Yours is a progressive State and a role model in many respects for the rest of India. I am sure that the coming time will see even more successes and greater prosperity for the people of Tamil Nadu.

I also wish Bharat Heavy Electricals many more successful ventures."