VIJAYAWADA: The Boston Consulting Group (BCG), in its report on balanced and inclusive growth for Andhra Pradesh, brought to the fore the disparities in development in different regions of the State and suggested ways to improve the development prospects of those regions.Briefing the media, Secretary (Planning) GSRKR Vijay Kumar said the group had visited different places across the State and compared the development with other countries and States, considering different parameters.
According to him, for the study, they divided the State into six zones - Uttarandhra (Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, Visakhapatnam), Godavari delta (East Godavari and West Godavari), Krishna delta (Krishna and Guntur), Dakshinandra (Prakasam and Nellore) East Rayalaseema (Kadapa and Chittoor) and West Rayalaseema (Kurnool and Anantapur). Based on its analysis, the BCG suggested different set of development themes for each region.
Godavari delta
Promote petrochemicals, plastic manufacturing, food processing, solar energy, horticulture and cash crops. Complete Polavaram project, improve road connectivity, water grid and promote Konaseema as a backwater destination.
Krishna delta
Promote the region as education and health hubs, food processing zone, hi-tech organic agriculture, fisheries, multi-modal logistics hubs and develop Machilipatnam into a full-fledged port.
Dakshinandhra
Promote automobiles manufacturing, paper pulp, leather and furniture MSME cluster, fisheries export. Undertake Godavari-Penna linkage and promote Mypadu as a beach destination.
West Rayalaseema
Promote textiles, logistics and auto parts, support organic horticulture cultivation, support water-saving measures like drip irrigation, implement Godavari-Penna linkage and improve highway connectivity. Promote Anantapur as a subsidiary to Bengaluru and Kurnool to Hyderabad to tap the spillover development.
Snapshot of AP
8 AP’s position in terms of economy strength
State has lowest GSDP and per capita income among the Southern States
`1.6 lakh is AP’s per capita income while for Kerala, Karnataka and Telangana, it is `2 lakh
Rate of illiteracy more than national average
2.5 lakh crore - State’s debt
8 districts - Krishna, Guntur, Kadapa, Kurnool, Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, East Godavari and West Godavari, have low industrial potential
0.3 million - Tourist footfall due to untapped tourism potential
60 per cent - Fish production from Krishna and West Godavari
50 per cent - Agriculture production from Krisha and Godavari deltas
Bottlenecks - Interior road connectivity, port connectivity
Uttarandhra
Make it analytics and data hub and promote medical devices manufacturing, cash crop cultivation like cashew, coffee and turmeric. Implement water grid, Uttarandhra Sujala Sravanthi project and Bhogapuram airport. Develop Araku Valley into an eco-adventure tourist spot
East Rayalaseema
Promote electronics manufacturing, steel plants, hi-tech agriculture like processing of tomato and cold storage units in the region and take up eco-adventure circuit around Gandikota and Belum Caves. Pointing out that Rayalaseema has less than 20 per cent land irrigated while Krishna and Godavari delta has irrigation coverage of 60-80 per cent, the BCG stressed the need of Godavari-Penna linking and expansion of canal carrying capacity, which it said is a critical factor. BCG also suggested setting up of high-quality seed production centres, agriculture stop points and modernisation of fishing boats