VIJAYAWADA: Minister for R&B, Infrastructure and Investments BC Janardhan Reddy has said Andhra Pradesh is set to redefine its role as the logistics gateway of South Asia.
Speaking at the CII Ports and Logistics Conference on ‘Building Andhra Pradesh - The East Coast Logistics Capital of India’ in Visakhapatnam on Friday, he said the government has laid emphasis on strengthening ports and road infrastructure recognising that robust logistics is the engine for industrial growth and regional prosperity.
“As India approaches its centennial year of Independence, Andhra Pradesh is guided by the Swarna Andhra @2047 Vision. Our goal is to become a high-growth, innovation-driven economy, targeting $2.4 trillion GSDP, and $42,000 per capita income by 2047. This vision ensures our growth is inclusive, sustainable, and globally competitive,” Janardhan Reddy said.
Asserting that Andhra Pradesh is advancing with a singular mission to be the logistics gateway of South Asia under the leadership of Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, the R&B Minister said the State is developing four new greenfield ports at Ramayapatnam, Machilipatnam, Mulapeta and Kakinada Gateway, with Phase I set for completion by December 2026.
“To achieve integrated development across all transport modes, we are establishing a State Logistics Corporation to coordinate the development of ports, airports, fishing harbours and road corridors. Visakhapatnam-Chennai Industrial Corridor, supported by the Asian Development Bank, is being fast-tracked to link nine districts to major economic hubs and Southeast Asia. This approach models the integrated, multimodal logistics systems envisioned in Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision (MAKV) 2047 and Maritime India Vision (MIV) 2030,” he said.
Describing the ports in the State as the engines for growth, he said ports contributed over 5% to the GSDP in 2024, supporting nearly one million jobs in cargo handling, ship repair and logistics. “We are determined to reduce logistics costs from 15.7% to 7-8% by investing in multimodal transport, technology integration, and improved last-mile connectivity. Logistics parks, warehousing, and cold storage facilities are being developed to modernise supply chains, and attract private investments.