ENABLING DRIVERS

DIGITAL INFRASTRUCTURE & SMART GOVERNANCE

POWERING THE DIGITAL FUTURE

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Tamil Nadu is rapidly building world-class digital infrastructure and pioneering smart governance for the digital age. As businesses and governance digitise, the State has ensured robust connectivity: over 55,000 km of optical fiber have been laid, bringing highspeed broadband to ~11,800 villages. A flagship initiative aims to deliver 1 crore (10 million) rural households high-speed internet each year, bridging the digital divide with affordable plans (100 Mbps broadband for just ₹199/month). Urban areas too enjoy extensive highspeed coverage – Chennai and other cities have multiple Internet Exchange points and 5G services rolled out. This digital backbone is empowering e-governance and online service delivery across Tamil Nadu.

DATA CONNECTIVITY & TECH INFRASTRUCTURE

Chennai has emerged as a major data centre and connectivity hub in the AsiaPacific. Thanks to its strategic coastal location, Chennai hosts a large number of international submarine cable landing stations, making it one of India’s primary internet gateways. Along with Mumbai, it accounts for the bulk of India’s 800 MW installed data centre capacity, and new investments are adding ~1000 MW more in the next 2 3 years – Chennai’s data centre industry is expected to grow at 22% (outpacing Mumbai’s 14%). Global cloud players (Amazon, Google), colocation providers (NTT, Airtel Nxtra, AdaniConneX), and Indian IT giants are establishing large hyperscale data centres around Chennai, leveraging its dense fiber network, reliable power, and talent availability. Indeed, analysts note Tamil Nadu offers the largest pool of technically qualified professionals in India to support IT and data centre operations. Beyond Chennai, secondary cities like Coimbatore and Madurai are also growing IT hubs, each getting new IT parks and connectivity upgrades (e.g., free Wi-Fi zones, tech parks).

E-Governance & Smart Services

The State government leverages this digital infrastructure to provide smart governance. Tamil Nadu’s e-governance initiatives have earned national accolades – it was a top performer in the Good Governance Index and improved the most in the latest National e-Service Delivery ratings. The Tamil Nadu e-Governance Agency (TNeGA) has digitised hundreds of citizen services: from online portals for certificates, licenses, and bill payments to a Statewide blockchain backbone for secure record-keeping. The State ranks 2nd in India for the quality of its government service portals, indicating a user-friendly, secure digital interface for citizens. Initiatives like the Smart Villages program bring telemedicine, e-education, and agricultural advice to rural areas via digital kiosks. In cities, Smart City projects (Chennai, Coimbatore, etc.) have introduced intelligent traffic systems, CCTV networks for safety, and open data platforms. Governance is also becoming datadriven – the Tamil Nadu State Data Policy and AI-driven dashboards are used for everything from disaster management to urban planning.

NOTABLE DIGITAL INITIATIVES

The Tamil Nadu FiberNet (TANFINET) Project (Part Of BharatNet) Is The Backbone Of Rural Connectivity, Nearing Completion To Connect All Gram Panchayats. Simultaneously, The Government Launched A Public Broadband Service (TamilNet) With Low-Cost Plans For Households And Businesses. On The Governance Front, Tamil Nadu Introduced The E-Sevai Portal, Providing 200+ Services Online In English And Tamil, And Digitally Empowered Governance Programs That Include E-Office (Paperless Government Offices) And Online Grievance Redressal. The State's Transparency Portal And Open Data Initiative Make Government Data Accessible To Entrepreneurs And Researchers, Fostering Innovation In Public Service Delivery.

SMART ECONOMY

Leveraging Its Digital Prowess, Tamil Nadu Is Promoting Fintech And Industry 4.0. Chennai Has A Growing Fintech Sector Backed By A State Fintech Policy, And Special Zones For IT/ITeS With Plug-And-Play Infrastructure Attract Software And BPO Companies. The Convergence Of Digital Infrastructure And A Skilled Tech Workforce Positions Tamil Nadu As A Natural Choice For Global Capability Centre – A Trend Already Visible As The State Becomes A Preferred Destination For IT Development Centres And R&D Hubs Of Global Firms.