VIJAYAWADA: Andhra Pradesh HRD and IT Minister Nara Lokesh underscored the critical role of strong State governments in driving national development.
As part of his election outreach, Lokesh met with representatives of the Bihar Industries Association, and prominent business leaders, including Ramji, Goenka, and former MP GVL Narasimha Rao, to share Andhra Pradesh’s investment success story, and advocate for continued NDA governance.
Lokesh emphasised that Andhra Pradesh’s transformation into a top investment destination was made possible by the “double-engine bullet government” led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu.
He cited landmark projects such as Google’s entry into AP within 12 months, and ArcelorMittal’s upcoming steel plant, facilitated by the swift resolution of investor concerns through direct coordination between the CM and the PM.
“States must be strong for India to grow. AP’s policy clarity, leadership commitment, and speed of execution have attracted record-breaking investments,” Lokesh said.
He credited the Centre’s support — particularly from Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw — for enabling India’s largest FDI to land in Andhra Pradesh.
Drawing parallels with Bihar, Lokesh praised Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s leadership for fostering law and order, women’s safety, and corruption-free governance. “Bihar’s development before and after Nitish Kumar shows what strong leadership can achieve,” he said, adding that both AP and Bihar benefit from constructive Centre–State relations.
Lokesh also highlighted AP’s Vision 2047 document, which outlines the roadmap to becoming a trillion dollar economy. He acknowledged the challenges posed by the previous government’s cancellation of PPAs, which forced the current administration to work 10 times harder to regain investor confidence.
Addressing the youth and entrepreneurs of Bihar, Lokesh said AP is advancing with a “One Family, One Entrepreneur” mission to promote grassroots industrial growth. “In AP, we are creating jobs for youth. In contrast, some opposition leaders promise a government job for every household — that’s simply not feasible,” he remarked.
Lokesh concluded by urging Bihar’s voters to support the NDA for continued development and industrial progress. “As an NDA partner and a citizen of India, it is my responsibility to advocate for stable governance. Bihar deserves the same momentum that AP is experiencing,” he said.
He also announced that Andhra Pradesh will soon host the prestigious Partnership Summit in Visakhapatnam, showcasing its industrial parks, policy reforms, and high-growth sectors to global investors.