VIJAYAWADA: Minister for HRD and IT, Nara Lokesh, has called upon the Telugu diaspora to unite in rebuilding Andhra Pradesh and restoring Telugu pride, urging Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) to act as brand ambassadors for the State.
Speaking at the Australia Telugu Diaspora meet organised by APNRT at the Brewers Pavilion, Noble Dining Room at Sydney Cricket Ground, Lokesh highlighted the State’s achievements and ambitious goals.
Addressing the gathering, Lokesh praised the global presence of Telugus, noting their dominance from America to Australia. He lauded the legacy of NT Rama Rao, who brought recognition to the Telugu community, and Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu for elevating the State’s global stature through reforms since 1995.
Lokesh recounted the support of NRIs during Naidu’s arrest by the previous YSRCP government, with protests across Australian cities and a massive rally of 45,000 in Hyderabad. He credited the diaspora’s efforts for the coalition government’s landslide victory, securing 94% of seats in the 2024 elections.
The IT & HRD Minister highlighted that Andhra Pradesh attracted `10 lakh crore in investments over the past 16 months, a feat unmatched by any other state.
The government aims to create 20 lakh jobs in five years, with initiatives to transform Anantapur into an automotive hub, Kurnool into a renewable energy hub, Chittoor and Kadapa into electronics manufacturing centers, Nellore into a refinery hub, and Krishna-Guntur into a quantum computing valley. Visakhapatnam is being developed as a data, steel, and medical device manufacturing hub, while Kurnool will host a drone city, he explained.
With the support of the Central government, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, projects like Google City, Kopparthi and Orvakal industrial nodes, NTPC green projects, and Nakkapalli Pharma City have been realised.
Lokesh emphasised the coalition government’s commitment to a ‘double-engine bullet train’ model, with Naidu and Modi driving progress. Key achievements include saving the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant, establishing a railway zone, resuming Amaravati’s development, and planning to complete the Polavaram project within five years.
The Minister also urged NRIs to promote Andhra Pradesh globally and inform the government about potential investors, assuring that the state would facilitate deal closures. He emphasised the importance of MSMEs alongside major projects like Google City. He announced plans to establish a dedicated APNRT wing linked to the Economic Development Board to support diaspora initiatives and create job opportunities for unemployed youth.
With around 75,000 Telugus in Australia and 25,000 in New Zealand, Lokesh reaffirmed APNRT’s commitment to the diaspora.
India’s Consul General in Sydney Dr S Janaki Raman, APNRT president Dr Vemuri Ravikumar, and other prominent persons were present.
AP attracts `10L crore investments
Nara Lokesh highlighted that Andhra Pradesh attracted `10 lakh crore in investments over the past 16 months, a feat unmatched by any other state. The State government aims to create 20 lakh jobs in five years, with several transformative, the IT Minister said
