AP offers better incentives for industries: Lokesh

VijayawadaMinister Nara Lokesh on Monday emphasized the state’s commitment to promoting a “business-friendly environment”. AP aims to join the top three states in achieving one trillion dollars in gross domestic product (GSDP), he said.

The minister in charge of IT and electronics said the government has identified ten key sectors for growth, including IT, food processing and renewable energy. “It is committed to decentralized development along the state’s vast coastline,” he said.

Lokesh addressed the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum Leadership Summit in New Delhi on Monday. He said Andhra Pradesh has the most conducive atmosphere and offers much better incentives for setting up industries.

Lokesh said, “Start-up is not only the slogan of Andhra Pradesh but also a weapon that can completely transform the governance system.” Appreciating the help extended by the start-ups during the recent cyclonic storm, he said the state’s target of providing 20 million jobs to youth will be achieved with the active participation of the private sector.

The summit was chaired by Forum Chairman and JC-2 Ventures founder John Chambers.

Lokesh said the Economic Development Board has been revived for speedy release of clearances to industries and an advisory board has been constituted with experts from the private sector.

“We are now implementing a Single Point of Contract system for granting permissions to the industries. Information about permissions and new projects is regularly updated through a website,” he said.

Noting that the state has conducted a skills census, Lokesh said data on households and education are initially collected at the micro level.

“The skills census will help achieve the target of providing 20 million jobs to youth over the next five years. And if we take Prime Minister Modi’s Vikasitha Bharat, we will set a target for Vikasitha Andhra Pradesh by 2047,” he said.

Citing the point that Andhra Pradesh has the longest coastline, Lokesh said the state is moving very fast towards achieving the goal of industrial development.

He said Prime Minister Chandrababu Naidu had encouraged the establishment of many engineering colleges. “The city of Hyderabad is making rapid progress in IT due to its efforts, especially during the millennium boom. We have good manpower. The port city of Visakhapatnam will be developed as a hub for IT, chemicals, pharmaceuticals and medical equipment,” he said.

He said a decision has been taken to develop Amaravathi as the Green Field capital and said there are also plans to develop the capital as a world-class city. World-class institutes like SRM and VIT had started their activities in Amaravati, he said.