VIJAYAWADA: The 9th State Investment Promotion Board (SIPB) meeting held under the chairmanship of Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu at the State Secretariat on Wednesday cleared investment proposals to the tune of Rs 20,216 crore by four industries.
The investments will generate employment opportunities for 50,600 persons.
To date, 113 projects amounting to Rs 5,94,454 crore in investments have been approved after the formation of the coalition government through SIPB meetings.
These include 46 projects in the industrial sector, 41 in energy, 11 in tourism, 11 in IT, and 4 in food processing. Collectively, these ventures are expected to generate 5,56,568 employment and livelihood opportunities.
The coalition government’s commitment to generating 20 lakh jobs over five years is steadily bearing fruit.
IT Minister Nara Lokesh, Chairman of the Cabinet Sub-Committee on Employment Generation, continues to make significant strides in attracting investment.
In a major development, four prominent companies have come forward to invest in Andhra Pradesh. Renowned firms such as Sify, Sattva, BVM, and ANSR have proposed investments totalling Rs 20,216 crore.
On this occasion, Nara Lokesh, in his capacity as Chairman of the Employment Generation Sub-Committee, presented detailed insights into the proposed investments.
He stated that the entry of such prestigious companies would significantly enhance Visakhapatnam’s standing. He also elaborated on the discussions held with these firms and highlighted their respective strengths.
Following this, the CM emphasised the need to align Visakhapatnam’s Master Plan with future investments and development needs. He noted that available land in the region is limited and has already been allotted to several companies, including the ArcelorMittal Steel Plant. He stressed the urgency of identifying suitable land for incoming companies and directed officials to undertake proactive planning to avoid infrastructure bottlenecks.
When officials highlighted urban challenges faced by cities such as Pune and Bengaluru, the CM asserted that such issues must be avoided in Visakhapatnam.
Only Rs 194.06 cr of Rs 384.17 cr under NCAP utilised
Rajamahendravaram recorded a 30.6% decrease, with levels falling from 85 µg/m³ to 59 µg/m³. Vijayawada saw a 29.7% reduction, while Kadapa improved by 25.3%, and Kurnool by 24.1%. Similar positive trends were observed in Anantapur (23.1%), Nellore (20.3%), Chittoor (14.3%), Eluru (11.1%), Ongole (10.8%), and Guntur (3%).
Under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP), launched in January 2019, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change aimed to improve air quality in 130 cities across India. City-specific Clean Air Action Plans have been developed to target key sources of pollution such as road dust, vehicular emissions, waste burning, construction activity, and industrial emissions.
Despite these plans, Visakhapatnam’s air quality has worsened, raising concerns about the effectiveness of local implementation and pollution control measures. Andhra Pradesh was sanctioned Rs 384.17 crore under NCAP and the 15th Finance Commission grants, but only Rs 194.06 crore has been utilised so far. The gap between fund allocation and utilisation points to implementation challenges that may have contributed to the worsening air quality in specific districts.
The minister further noted that the Central Government has undertaken various steps to tackle air pollution nationwide. “These include the introduction of emission standards for over 80 industrial sectors, rollout of Bharat Stage VI fuel norms, vehicle scrapping policies, waste management regulations, and the promotion of electric vehicles. Additional efforts under the PM e-bus Sewa scheme, Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban 2.0, and the Environment Protection (End-of-Life Vehicles) Rules, 2025, aim to further reduce emissions and manage waste effectively,” the minister stated.
Despite these wide-ranging efforts, the rising pollution levels in Visakhapatnam highlight the need for more effective local implementation, continuous monitoring, and stronger inter-agency coordination to reverse the trend and ensure cleaner air for residents.
Investment proposals of various companies
Sify Infinite Spaces Ltd will invest a total of Rs 16,466 crore in two phases in Vizag, creating employment for 200 people. The first phase will be Rs 1,466 crore and the second phase will see an investment of Rs 15,000 crore, generating 400 additional jobs.
Sattva Developers Pvt. Ltd will invest Rs 1,500 crore in Madhurawada, Vizag, creating employment opportunities for 25,000 individuals.
BVM Energy and Residency Pvt. Ltd plans to invest Rs 1,250 crore in Endada, Vizag, generating 15,000 job opportunities.
ANSR Global Corporation Pvt. Ltd will invest Rs 1,000 crore in Madhurawada, Vizag, leading to the creation of 10,000 jobs.