AP govt gears up to create employment opportunities

HYDERABAD: The State Investment Promotion Board (SIPB) of Andhra Pradesh, chaired by Chief Minister YS Jaganmohan Reddy, has approved several projects for the state which will provide direct employment to over 8,000 people and indirect employment to over 3,000 people.

The Chief Minister, who met with SIPB on Wednesday, asked officials to prioritise the establishment of a railway line to facilitate the movement of equipment and products required for these industries. Jagan that he wanted to make the state into a manufacturing hub of world-renowned companies. He said the State had good scope in tourism and hospitality sectors.

The State decided to take advantage of the huge potential for green energy generation such as wind and solar resources to generate over 30,000-MW power which would benefit the economy and the people.

The Government intended to pay a lease of Rs 30,000 per acre per year to acquire land for green energy production, to the farmers of Prakasam, West Krishna, and Rayalaseema districts where water was not accessible. Farmers, who were currently cultivating subabul, Jamail, etc., in these areas were suffering financially due to the non-receipt of large leases.

It was decided that officials would go to the villages and explain the economic benefits available to the farmers and mobilize the land if they all agree to it. It was estimated that the projects would require about 90,000 acres. This will not only benefit the farmers financially but also provide a wide range of employment opportunities to the local youth.

The SIPB accorded approval for the development of a textile park in Kopparthi, YSR district, a large-scale prawn processing unit in Mallavalli, a Novotel five-star hotel in Tirupati, a punctuated garments unit at Kopparthi and a Rs 15,376-crore pumped-storage power plant proposed by Adani Green Energy.

Green Energy projects in 4 districts

The Adani Green Energy Pumped Storage Power Project as per the agreement reached at the World Economic Forum in Davos would set up a 3,700 MW pumped storage project at four locations. The project would have four phases, 1,000 MW in the YSR district, 1,200 MW in Parvathipuram Manyam district, 1,000 MW at Karrivalasa, and 500 MW at Peddakotla Chitravati in Sathyasai district. The announced that it would spend Rs 1,349 crore in 2022–23, Rs 6,984 crore in 2023–24, Rs5,188 crore in 2024–25, and Rs 1,855 crore in 2025–26. The project will provide employment to about 4,000 people.

The SIPB sanctioned two garment manufacturing units of Rs 50 crores each to be set up by Punctuate World Pvt Ltd (a subsidiary of Export Industries Ltd.) in YSR Pulivendula district and Kopparthi. The apparel park was being developed to build employment opportunities and provide quality products at a low cost. This would lead to rapid industrial development of about 6,000 acres in the Kopparthi area. The government will provide quality electricity, water and other infrastructure. A total of 4,200 people would be employed through these two units.

The SIPB further said that Rs 126.48 crore VVPL five-star hotel would be set up in Tirupati under the brand name of Novotel which would directly employ 300 people and indirectly employ 2,700 people. It also accorded the approval of Rs 150 crore shrimp processing industry to be set up by 'Avisa Foods Pvt Ltd' in Mallavally Food Park, Krishna District which would create 2,500 jobs.

Revenue Minister Dharmana Prasada Rao, Municipal and Urban Development Minister Adimulapu Suresh, IT, Infrastructure and Investment Minister Gudivada Amarnath, Tourism Minister RK Roja, Chief Sescretary Sameer Sharma and senior officials from various departments also attended the meeting.