APIIC lands falling under Section 22A should be removed from the prohibited list
Amaravati: Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Thursday directed the district collectors to encourage MSME sector with the increasing number of industries create significant opportunities for ancillary industries.
Speaking at the inaugural day of two day collections conference which began at Amaravati the Chief Minister emphasised that MSMEs should play a vital role in the industrial ecosystem evolving around major investments coming into the state.
He reviewed on the performance of various departments and the implementation of programmes at the field level. Discussions were held on education, healthcare, and grounding of investments, among other subjects.
Addressing the officials, the Chief Minister said that any issues faced by companies coming forward to invest in the state, particularly related to land allocation, should be resolved immediately.
He directed that APIIC lands falling under Section 22A should be removed from the prohibited list and instructed the Registration Department to clear such lands through the concerned Inspector Generals.
He stressed that products from various districts should evolve into pan-India and global brands, similar to the successful branding of Araku Coffee. The Chief Minister observed that India currently spends significant amounts on imported products used in daily life and said that improving the quality and branding of Andhra Pradesh products would help retain that income within the state economy.
Referring to emerging technology sectors, the Chief Minister noted that the arrival of the Google Cloud AI Hub in Andhra Pradesh had attracted the Carrier AC company to the state. He said the company would supply bulk chillers required for data centres and quantum computing facilities.
The Chief Minister further stated that a Quantum Reference facility has already been established in Amaravati and that once the Quantum Computing Centre becomes operational, an ecosystem for manufacturing the required equipment would also emerge. He underlined that MSMEs should become an integral part of this evolving industrial ecosystem.
The Chief Minister said the government is constructing 15 Labour Addas across the state so that workers need not wait on roadsides for work opportunities and during periods of no work, they will be provided skill development training.
The Chief Minister instructed departments to integrate rooftop solar systems with the PM Kusum scheme to promote solar power generation in homes and government offices. He said solar panels should be installed on all government buildings, schools and colleges so that government offices eventually operate without any expenditure on electricity.
He pointed out that installing solar systems for 22 lakh pump sets under the PM Kusum scheme would provide substantial benefits.
The Chief Minister announced that district collectors would be appointed as mentors for implementing best practices in governance. He said Kadapa district Collector Sridhar would act as mentor for the Smart Kitchen initiative in schools.
Highlighting the importance of logistics, he said reducing transportation costs is essential for achieving faster economic growth. He noted that rail transport costs around Rs 1.83 per kilometre, while road transport costs nearly Rs 3.40 per kilometre. Only when transportation costs come down significantly Andhra Pradesh can derive maximum economic benefit, he said, adding that industrial parks must be provided with better road and rail connectivity.
The Chief Minister informed the officials that 64 national highway projects worth over Rs 1 lakh crore are coming to the state, while 624 railway projects worth Rs 64,000 crore are currently under construction. In addition, projects worth nearly Rs 2 lakh crore are in the DPR stage.
He said upcoming projects would include express and local train networks, along with expansion of railway lines into four-lane corridors. Railway Over Bridges (ROBs)must be completed on a war footing.
The Chief Minister said logistics parks would generate large-scale economic activity across the state.
Referring to the possible impact of El Ni'o, he cautioned that rainfall may be below normal and instructed collectors to take precautionary measures in advance. He directed officials to prepare water management plans suitable for rainfed crops, dry land farming and horticulture crops, while also ensuring adequate fodder supply for livestock.
He further stressed the need to increase green cover and instructed the Forest Department to take focused action in this regard.He concluded by stating that local body elections would be conducted soon.
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