Overview

• At the Kovilpatti celebration, Nirmala Sitharaman released a centenary journal and felicitated women workers who sustain the matchbox industry.
• She highlighted how predominantly female labour built the sector from cottage units into a major enterprise despite chronic water scarcity in the region.
• She said the Central government has brought multiple projects to Thoothukudi and across Tamil Nadu, crediting Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s focus on the state.
• She urged manufacturers to submit detailed plans to support industry, trade and the broader economy toward the 2047 developed‑nation target, pledging to pursue suitable Central schemes.
• The visit included outreach on GST, with Sitharaman calling the reform revolutionary as additional changes take effect on September 22.