VIJAYAWADA: Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu urged Telugu NRIs to move beyond being job seekers and become job creators. He said his satisfaction lies in seeing the Telugu community thrive globally across all sectors. The Chief Minister was addressing a Telugu diaspora gathering in Zurich on the first day of his Davos tour.
Naidu announced the creation of a Rs 50 crore AP NRI Corpus Fund to support entrepreneurship and industrial ventures among NRIs.
He also declared that the government would provide loans at 4% interest with State guarantees to help students pursue higher education abroad. In addition, he revealed plans to establish a major research hub, ‘AP First,’ in Tirupati in collaboration with IIT and IISER, aimed at fostering innovation and youth employment.
Recalling his early visits to Davos, Naidu noted that the Telugu presence was once negligible but has now grown significantly, with communities spread across 195 countries and NRI networks in 148.
He emphasised the government’s ‘One Family–One Entrepreneur’ policy, encouraging NRIs to embrace business opportunities in Andhra Pradesh. “If both husband and wife are employed abroad, one should continue in a job while the other ventures into business,” he suggested.
Highlighting Andhra Pradesh’s investment success, Naidu cited Google’s largest India project, ArcelorMittal’s `1 lakh crore steel plant, and AM Green’s $10 billion green ammonia project in Kakinada. He said ongoing efforts could generate up to 20 lakh jobs through `22 lakh crore worth of investments.
The Chief Minister also acknowledged the role of NRIs in recent elections, praising their active support for the coalition and their willingness to face challenges alongside local leaders. “With your cooperation, we achieved a 93% strike rate and restored Andhra Pradesh’s brand within 18 months,” he said.
Naidu underlined the State’s push towards advanced technologies such as quantum computing, AI, space, and drones. He announced plans to use drones for agriculture, healthcare, and public services, and urged Union Minister Ram Mohan Naidu to take responsibility for drone operation permissions. He also spoke about reforms in the power sector, initiatives in pharma and health devices, and the ‘Sanjeevani Project’ aimed at improving public health.
The diaspora event saw enthusiastic participation from Telugu families across 20 European countries. Naidu warmly interacted with attendees