VISAKHAPATNAM: Minister for HRD, IT, Electronics and Communications Nara Lokesh said Andhra Pradesh aims to become a $2.4 trillion economy by 2047, urging Chartered Accountants (CAs) to act as architects of this transformation.
Addressing the two-day Arthasamriddhi-2025 National Conference of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) in Visakhapatnam on Friday, Lokesh said CAs must go beyond compliance to embrace AI-based audits, blockchain transparency, ESG reporting and support for startups.
He highlighted the government’s regional development plans: automotive in Anantapur, renewable energy in Kurnool, electronics in Chittoor, compressed bio-gas in Prakasam, quantum technologies in Guntur-Krishna, aquaculture in Godavari districts, and IT, pharma and logistics in Uttarandhra. Lokesh announced that Bhogapuram Airport would be ready within a year, transforming North Andhra, with global majors like Google, TCS and Cognizant investing in the region. He credited reforms by Prime Minister Modi and Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu for attracting such investments.
Calling ICAI a platform for nation-building, he urged it to set up a Centre of Excellence in Visakhapatnam, and reaffirmed his government’s commitment to transforming the city within four years.