VIJAYAWADA: Asserting that the State has achieved an industrial growth rate of 11. 74%, besides topping the Ease of Doing Business (EoDB) charts in the country, Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy said all these were not visible to TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu and media houses supporting him, which were spreading falsehood single-mindedly.
Concluding the short discussion on ‘Industrial Development - Investments and Financial Growth’ on Monday, he said the State bagged one of the three Bulk Drug Parks (BDP) amid stiff competition from 17 States. “The Centre will provide Rs 1,000 crore grant for the BDP. It will provide direct and indirect employment to 30,000 people. Instead of rejoicing that the State bagged such a prestigious project, the Opposition TDP is trying to play spoilsport by writing letters to the Centre to stall the project,” he said, showing the letters written to the Centre by former minister Yanamala Ramakrishnudu.
“What should we call such people? Everyday they resort to false propaganda against the State showing it and its economy in bad light. Unfortunately, the media is polarised in the State and a negative campaign is being carried out against the government. They have resorted to such false propaganda, even after we explained that the State’s economy is better now, compared to the previous TDP regime with facts and figures from CAG,” he deplored.
“The relation between those media houses and Naidu is far stronger than Fevicol jodi,” he quipped. Despite Covid-19 and decline in FDIs, AP has fared better than other States in industrial growth. In the past three years, 99 industries were grounded with an investment of Rs 46,280 crore, providing jobs to 62,541 people. About 40,000 more jobs will be generated through four Central PSUs that will be coming up. Discussions for setting up 10 major industries are underway, while four CPSUs will be investing `1,06,800 crore and create employment to 79,200 people, he explained.
The State has been doing well in EoDB even in the changed pattern with all the marks being given only by industrialists and the growth rate logging 11.43%. “The investments have started coming in as we are able to create confidence and assure transparency, which is why the captains of industry like Tatas, Birlas, Adanis and other big ticket companies have started looking towards AP and are evincing interest in investing in the State,” he elaborated.
Apart from this, the YSRC government has promoted MSMEs by giving incentives worth Rs 2,500 crore as this sector alone provided 12 lakh jobs. “We have also cleared the dues of the TDP government to the tune of Rs 2,200 crore,” he highlighted.
Elaborating on major industrial initiatives in the State besides Bulk Drug Park, he said YSR Electronics Manufacturing Cluster, Mega Industrial Hub coming up at Kopparthi in 6,800 acres will create 28,500 and 75,000 jobs respectively. Further, YSR Electronics Manufacturing cluster has been brought under the Production Linked Incentives (PLI) scheme, which will help the State get `730.50 crore.
Under multi-modal logistics hubs, the State will get three projects, one each at Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada and Anantapur. “Our focus has been on improving skills of the youth, so that they can get employment opportunities. In that direction, two skill universities, 30 skill colleges and 175 skill development centres have been proposed. We have also laid emphasis on port-led industrial development to take advantage of the State’s long coastline. Besides two new ports at Gangavaram and Krishnapatnam, greenfield ports are coming up at Ramayapatnam in Nellore, Bhavanapadu in Srikakulam and Machilipatnam in Krishna district and an SEZ port in Kakianda in private sector.
Further, nine fishing harbours are being developed in the State. The new harbours will prevent fishermen of the State from migrating to Gujarat and other places in search of livelihood. Four fishing harbours will be dedicated to the nation in April next year and the other five will be developed in the second phase, he explained.
Further elaborating on infrastructure initiative, he said in addition to the existing six airports in the State, of which three are international, one more will be developed at Bhogapuram under the PPP mode. Drawing a comparison between his government and the previous TDP regime in job creation, Jagan presented data pertaining to the past three years, which aggregated to 6.16 lakh jobs, while it was just 34,108 during 2014-19.
“We have created 2,06,638 permanent jobs, including 1,25,110 in village and ward secretariats, 51,387 by merger of APSRTC with the government, 16,880 in health sector. “While such a development is taking place in the State, Naidu and his friendly media are getting a heart burn and have resorted to a false propaganda to undermine our efforts and the image of the State. But the stark difference is in the open for everyone to see,” Jagan averred.