VIJAYAWADA: Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has directed officials to take steps for operating more flight services connecting different cities of the State. While reviewing the progress of the projects in the Energy, Infrastructure and Investment Department with the officials at the Interim Government Complex in Velagapudi on Tuesday, the Chief Minister after being informed that all flights have 90-95% occupancy, instructed the officials to push the authorities at the Central government to insist and permit higher connectivity between capital and other cities of India.
Energy
The second phase of the Ultra Mega Solar Park in Anantapur will add 750MW in its second phase, to the 250MW of Phase 1 and will be commissioned in the next fiscal. The plant in Kadapa will be commissioned by March 2018, and will have a capacity of 400MW. Officials reported on the progress of the Solar Park by APGENCO in Anantapur, the Ultra Mega Solar Park in Kurnool and Kadapa.
Work has started on both sites of the APGENCO Thermal Plants in Krishna and Nellore. The 12 waste-to-energy plants have a total capacity of 70MW have been allocated land, and work has commenced on all sites.
Gas Infrastructure
The Phase 1 for laying the natural gas pipeline from Kakinada to Visakhapatnam have 13 packages that are in the tender stage. All permissions are expected to be completed by December 2017 and Phase 1 will be completed by December 2018. The Chief Minister has asked officials to push for CNG for domestic purpose. The domestic Pipeline Natural Gas (PNG) connectivity will start in Kovvur and 20 other towns of twin Godavari districts by the end of next month.
Blue Economy
Officials informed the Chief Minister that Andhra Pradesh has a huge potential of exploring aquatic wealth, heavy minerals and oil and gas along its coastline. Beyond 100m depth, there is abundance of untapped aquatic wealth. 1,16,320 metric tonnes of a variety of seafood worth almost Rs 1,000 crore can be accessed. He instructed officials to pursue this using deep sea vessels in PPP mode.
Heavy minerals like zircon, kyanite, monazile, rutile and ilmenite are found to have huge deposits in the coastline of AP, and have potential to drastically impact the economy.
Under the concept of the Blue Economy, officials also proposed the exploring of water tourism, ship-building, ship-recycling and renewable energy.
Ports Traffic
Andhra Pradesh ranks number 2 in the country, and has seen a growth of 9.7% in this quarter. Gangavaram has seen a growth of 46% and Kakinada Anchorage, a growth of 19.3%. The Bhavanapadu and the Machilipatnam ports are in the land pooling/acquisition stage.
Convention Centre at Visakhapatnam
Lulu International Shopping Mall Pvt Ltd has been selected as the successful bidder, for the project which will cost approximately ₹756 crore. It will include an international convention centre cum exhibition centre, five star hotel and a commercial complex.
Energy and Logistics University
Land has been finalised, and governing council members are being identified.
JNTU-Anantapur has been identified as the temporary campus for the Energy University and Ideal Institute of Technology-Kakinada for the Logistics University.