Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman connected Saturday (September 20, 2025) lauded the efforts of women labourers employed successful matchbox industries successful Tamil Nadu, noting that their tireless publication has fixed beingness to this assemblage successful the region.
Addressing the centenary celebrations of the Tamil Nadu matchbox manufacture successful Kovilpatti, she emphasised that the assemblage has been predominantly led by women.
Speaking connected the challenges faced by women successful the region, Ms. Sitharaman observed, “On this drought-stricken land, wherever determination is neither capable rainfall nor alleviation from h2o scarcity, the pridefulness lies with each pistillate who, portion protecting their homes and sustaining their families, besides nurtured this trade. What began arsenic a tiny manufacture was transformed by them into specified a immense industry.”
“As of now, the Central authorities has brought galore projects to Thoothukudi district, though we [the BJP] bash not person a Lok Sabha subordinate from the constituency. In fact, it is not constricted to Thoothukudi but applies to constituencies crossed Tamil Nadu. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is starring from the beforehand successful providing projects to Tamil Nadu, considering the State arsenic an integral portion of India,” she noted.
Highlighting that the Prime Minister has been taking assorted measures to elevate India arsenic a developed federation by 2047, Ms. Sitharaman urged the stakeholders of matchbox industries to contiguous a elaborate program connected however they could lend to the nation’s industry, trade, and system to execute the extremity of becoming a developed federation by 2047. “I americium afloat committed to taking the indispensable efforts to bring distant suitable schemes done the Central government,” she assured.
Commending the efforts of Kovilpatti MLA Kadambur Raju of the AIADMK, who was besides contiguous astatine the event, she urged the radical to elite representatives successful the 2026 and 2029 elections who are acquainted with the issues of the portion and committed to addressing them.
Earlier, Ms. Sitharaman released a centenary twelvemonth diary of the Tamil Nadu matchbox industry, which was received by BJP State president Nainar Nagenthran. She besides honoured the women labourers of the matchbox industry.
BJP MLA Vanathi Srinivasan and M. Paramasivam, president, National Small Matchbox Manufactures Association, Kovilpatti, were among those contiguous connected the occasion.
