ONGOLE: The Andhra Pradesh Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (APIIC) will conduct a public hearing on the National Investment and Manufacturing Zone (NIMZ) proposed in Prakasam in the first fortnight of September.
J Venkateswarlu, APIIC- Zonal Manager (ZM), Ongole, told TNIE, “The district Collector along with the AP Pollution Control Board (AP PCB), Forest, Revenue and other department officials concerned will also attend the public hearing. The government is planning to develop around 4,000 acres for which a Detailed Project Report (DPR) has been prepared by Gurugram-based consultant agency Voyants Solutions Private Limited (VSPL).”
For the Prakasam NIMZ project, the government identified lands in Bodawada, Lakshmakkapalli, Malakondapuram, Ayyannakota, Siddhavaram, Renimadugu and Paicherlapadu villages of Pamuru and Peddacherlopalli Palli mandals.
The NIMZ proposed nearly a decade ago, failed to take off because of various reasons. Under the ‘Make In India’ policy, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the establishment of NIMZs across the country with the partnership of the State governments concerned.
The NIMZ in the Prakasam district was announced in 2011-12, but the project was progressing at a snail’s pace. On the other hand, the NIMZs proposed for Telangana (Hyderabad Pharma NIMZ with 19,000 acres and Zahirabad NIMZ with 12,000 acres) are progressing at an expedited pace and the development of infrastructure facilities in those NIMZs were almost completed. Following the instructions of Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, State government officials conducted several rounds of discussions with Central officials and succeeded in getting the green signal for the project. The Center has appointed a consultancy to prepare the DPR.
The NIMZ was supposed to start on an extent of 14,231 acres in Pamuru and Pedacherlopalli Mandal limits of Prakasam district at an estimated cost of Rs 1,859 crore. The main aim of NIMZ is to stop the migration of workers and create skilled/unskilled employment.
NIMZ TO PROVIDE JOBS
The main aim of establishing NIMZ is to stop the migration of workers and create large-scale skilled/unskilled employment opportunities. The State government has endorsed this project to the APIIC