AP set to emerge as a Steel power house with global Investments: CM
Sunnapurallapalle (Kadapa dist): Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu said Andhra Pradesh is going to emerge as India's next steel powerhouse with major investments from JSW Steel, ArcelorMittal and the revival of Visakhapatnam Steel Plant. He described the launch of the Rayalaseema Steel Plant as the beginning of a new chapter in the region's industrial development.
The Chief Minister launched construction works of JSW Rayalaseema Steel Plant at Sunnapurallapalle in Jammalamadugu constituency along with JSW Group Chairman and Managing Director Sajjan Jindal and Union Minister Srinivasa Varma. He also launched the works of JSW Neo Energy Solar Captive Power Project and virtually launched the works of JSW industrial park in Vizianagaram district.
The Rayalaseema Steel Plant will be developed in two phases with an investment of Rs 16,350 crore with an annual production capacity of 2 million tonnes. The steel plant and the captive renewable energy project together are expected to create 2,700 direct employment opportunities.JSW Neo Energy will establish a 3,850 MW solar and wind power project with a total investment of Rs 20,350 crore to supply green energy to the steel plant.The company is also developing a state-of-the-art industrial park across 1,166 acres in Vizianagaram district with an investment of Rs 531 crore, providing plug-and-play infrastructure for industries."
Addressing the large gathering, the Chief Minister said the people of Rayalaseema had waited for decades for the steel plant and that the promise had finally been fulfilled under the coalition government.
He said Rayalaseema has transformed into a hub for horticulture, rare minerals, gold mining, automobiles, electric mobility, defence manufacturing, drones, electronics and green energy. He stated that Rayalaseema is no longer a drought-prone region and becoming a prosperous, industrially vibrant and water-secure region.
The Chief Minister said the upcoming plant would produce steel entirely using green energy and recalled that his government had secured Rs 11,440 crore financial assistance from the Centre to support Visakhapatnam Steel Plant during its financial crisis.He also highlighted the proposed Rs 1.35 lakh crore ArcelorMittal steel plant in Anakapalle.
The government, he said, would supply 2 TMC of water to the plant through a 15-kilometre pipeline from Gandikota and ensure road, rail and port connectivity while facilitating supply of high-quality local iron ore.
The Chief Minister recalled that his government attracted Kia Motors to Anantapur in 2017 by allotting 536 acres and providing all required infrastructure.
"Kia has manufactured 1.9 million vehicles, of which 300,000 cars have been exported to more than 90 countries, transforming the economic landscape of Anantapur.Referring to Brahmani Steels, he alleged that 14,000 acres were allotted in 2007, promises including an airport were made, but no steel plant was established. Instead, captive mining permissions were allegedly misused to illegally exploit iron ore from Obulapuram and smuggle the mineral abroad."Natural resources meant for national development were looted.
Those responsible eventually landed in jail. He asserted that Rayalaseema's mineral wealth must be utilised within the region to generate industries and employment for local youth. The Chief Minister said the previous government had failed to provide irrigation even to a single additional acre in Rayalaseema.
He announced that the Rehabilitation and Resettlement (R&R) package for Gandikota project oustees would be released shortly and reiterated the government's commitment to irrigation and drinking water projects. He highlighted the completion of the Avuku Tunnel, water supply to Erraballi reservoir, and expansion of horticulture, noting that Lingala Mandal now records the highest per-capita income in Andhra Pradesh.
He announced that the Global Horticulture Hub at Madanapalle would be launched before August 15, while Rs 40,000 crore would be invested under the Purvodaya programme for Rayalaseema's horticulture ecosystem, complemented by Rs 60,000 crore in private investments. He also reiterated plans to develop Gandikota as a world-class tourism destination comparable to the Grand Canyon.
The Chief Minister said Andhra Pradesh is emerging as a preferred destination for investments in space technology, aerospace, defence, drones, electronics, automobiles, renewable energy and food processing because of stable governance and investor confidence.
JSW Group Chairman and Managing Director Sajjan Jindal described Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu as one of India's rare visionary leaders with the ability to think decades ahead.He said working alongside such leaders was a privilege for any industrialist committed to India's development.
He announced that the company plans to further expand the Rayalaseema Steel Plant beyond its initial 2 million tonne annual capacity.He also announced that the JSW Group would invest nearly Rs 50,000 crore across Andhra Pradesh, creating employment opportunities for approximately 50,000 people.
Earlier, the Chief Minister visited the project's Experience Centre, reviewed scale models of the steel plant and industrial park and discussed on future investments. Union Minister Srinivasa Varma, Ministers S Savitha and Gottipati Ravi Kumar, BJP State president P.V.N. Madhav, MLA Adinarayana Reddy and others participated.
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