The model of a plant the world's leading computer manufacturer Dell Computers is setting up in Tamil Nadu was Tuesday unveiled by Chief Minister M Karunanidhi here.

Dell had in September signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the state government to set up the manufacturing plant in the Sriperumbudur Special Economic Zone (SEZ), about 80 km from this state capital.

The plant, being set up with an initial investment of Rs.2.80 billion on a 50-acre land, will provide 1,100 direct jobs and about 4,000 indirect jobs.

The company said it plans to begin manufacturing in India in the first half of next year, with an initial focus on the production of desktop computers.

Desktops account for about 70 percent of Dell's business in India.

The plant is intended to serve the domestic market at first, the company said.

The facility is expected to produce close to 400,000 PCs a year initially and the production will be raised to 1 million units a year depending on the growth of the company's business in India.

Dell's shipments in India increased 82 percent in the quarter ended in August, while revenue grew 63 percent.

The company has other manufacturing facilities in Asia - Penang, Malaysia, and Xiamen, China.