TIRUPATI: Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, along with TCL chairman Li Dongsheng, performed the ground breaking ceremony of Chinese electronics manufacturing giant TCL’s smart integrated electronics manufacturing unit at the electronics cluster near Tirupati on Thursday. On the occasion, the Chief Minister named the electronic cluster near Tirupati as Silicon City and Chennai-Tirupati-Nellore Industrial Corridor as Silicon Corridor. “Today is a historic day. TCL is setting up its manufacturing unit here. By bringing Microsoft to Hyderabad, I have made it ‘Knowledge Hub’ and now with TCL in Tirupati, it will become hardware and electronics hub,” Naidu said.
He said TCL would help in creating one of the best ecosystems for nurturing future technologies and economic growth. Earlier, the focus was on software, now it is on hardware and electronics and they will play a crucial role in making AP one the best three States in the country by 2022, number one by 2029 and one of the best on the planet by 2050, he said.
The Chief Minister pointed out that Tirupati has immense potential and, along with Chennai and Krishnapatnam (Nellore), the developing corridor is one of the best, having excellent rail, road, sea and air connectivity. Showering praise on the capabilities of Chinese companies, he said China believes in three ‘S’s — Speed, Scale, Skill — which is evident from TCL’s determination to commence the production in Tirupati unit in just eight months time. Andhra Pradesh believes in VIADUCT (Vision, innovation, Accountability, digitalisation, uberisation, convergence and technology transformation), he said and opined that Chinese speed and Andhra’s diligence will lead to success.
Speaking on the occasion, TCL chairman Li Dongsheng explained the significance of India as a strategic market for TCL. “Our investment in the semiconductor business here is a significant milestone in our global plans. The project will strengthen our supply chain integration capabilities in India and, in turn, will benefit our local consumers, providing them with superior quality products at affordable prices,” he said.
IT Minister Nara Lokesh said efforts were being made since the last four years to have 50 per cent of India’s electronic manufacturing in Andhra Pradesh. Launching of TCL unit is one step closer in that direction. He said they are looking for a whole supply chain in electronics manufacturing to be at a single place in the State and opined that it will be a game changer for the backward Rayalaseema region.
Industries Minister N Amarnath Reddy was present.
Number crunching
`2,200 cr to be invested by TCL in its Tirupati unit, which is expected to be completed in eight months
8 million TV and 30 million mobile screens to be produced in a year
8,000 jobs to be created
30% of the mobile phones in the country are being manufactured in AP, says Lokesh