VIJAYAWADA: The 20th State Investment Promotion Board (SIPB) meeting chaired by Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu at the Secretariat on Wednesday, approved 25 investment proposals worth Rs 2,08,406 crore. These projects are expected to generate direct employment for 21,627 people.
The Chief Minister directed officials to credit industrial incentives into escrow accounts from December. As incentives are essential to promote industries, the government should focus on determining the extent of incentives that can realistically be provided, he said.
Naidu instructed the officials to focus on attracting investments in emerging sectors such as green ammonia, lithium batteries and robotics, and to study the measures required to encourage industries in these fields. He called for creating awareness among the public about industrial projects being established across the State.
He said misinformation was being spread by some vested groups by portraying industries as polluting units, and creating misconceptions that could obstruct development. He said data centres being established in North Coastal Andhra would require 3.5 TMC of water, and asked the officials to take steps to dispel misconceptions regarding data centres that they are water guzzlers. He called for continuous monitoring of industrial development in the State.
Abundant water would be supplied to industries in Visakhapatnam through gravity flow from the Polavaram Left Canal. The officials should analyse the value being added to the State’s ecosystem by the new industries, he said.
The Chief Minister urged hotels and other hospitality projects coming up in the State to have distinctive architectural designs that would attract tourists visiting Andhra Pradesh.
Complete Moolapeta Port by Dec: Naidu
He said all defence sector projects being established in the State are a matter of pride to the nation.
The officials should facilitate the establishment of defence projects near Puttaparthi and aerospace projects near Hindupur. The construction of Moolapeta Port should be completed by December, he said.
Naidu called for integrating logistics, modern warehousing and cold-chain projects. Road, rail and port connectivity should be strengthened to ensure that horticultural produce from Rayalaseema reaches international markets, he said.
Naidu instructed the officials to accelerate the completion of investment agreements signed during the past year and projects approved by the SIPB.
He set a target of completing the remaining 37 MSME parks by September this year. He also asked them to take up the One Family-One Entrepreneur programme on a large scale.
