Chennai, Aug 3 - The Tamil Nadu government should take steps to promote industrialisation in the southern districts of the state instead of staying focused only on Chennai and its surroundings, union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilisers M.K. Alagiri said here Monday.

'The chief minister should show the way for industrial development in the southern districts,' Alagiri said after laying the foundation stone for a high learning centre at the Central Institute of Plastics Engineering and Technology.

The minister said he had taken up the issue of lack of industrialisation in the southern parts with his father and Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi.

'The chief minister has assured me that industrial projects will come up if land is identified in the southern districts.