VIJAYAWADA: Mekapati Gowtham Reddy strived for the industrial development of the State ever since he assumed charge as Minister for Industries in June 2019. Under his leadership, the State has received project proposals worth Rs 2.36 lakh crore, with a potential to create employment to 2.75 lakh people.
The Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) of AP has increased by 1.58 per cent in 2020-2, much better compared to the national GDP of negative 3.8 per cent. The State was ranked number one in Ease of Doing Business by the Centre for the third consecutive time in 2019.
The State exported goods worth $16.9 million in the financial year 2020-21 with a growth of 14 per cent over the previous year and moved to fourth rank in exports in the country.
Gowtham Reddy also laid focus on MSMEs. From June 2019, as many as 19,004 MSME units were grounded with an investment of Rs 6,102 crore, generating 1,30,112 jobs.
During the same period, the State grounded 78 large and mega industries with an investment of Rs 35,038 crore, generating 51,925 jobs. Besides, 53 large and mega projects and five public sector units are under implementation with an investment of Rs 1,29,562 crore and a potential to create 1,60,768 jobs.
Gowtham Reddy, an industrialist himself, was instrumental in releasing incentives over Rs 2,086 crore including Rs 684 crore for textile industries, as part of the ReSTART package. He expedited the development of three industrial corridor projects.
He was the man behind AP Industrial Development Policy 2020-23, AP Electronics Manufacturing Policy 2021-24 and AP IT Policy- 2021-224. He was instrumental in the setting up of YSR Electronic Manufacturing Clusters in Kopparthy, Kadapa and YSR Jagananna Mega Industrial Hub in Kopparthy. It was his initiation, which saw the development of nine fishing harbours, marine processing centres and greenfield non-major ports.
Recently, he led a high-level delegation to Dubai Expo 2020, where the State has signed five MoUs with major companies with an intent to invest over Rs 5,150 crore and generate 3,440 direct and 7,800 indirect jobs.