Jagan commissions ITC spices unit, prides on commitment to AP's industrial growth

AMARAVATI: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jaganmohan Reddy on Friday affirmed that farmers would immensely benefit from the Global Spices Processing Unit established by ITC at Vankayalapadu in Palnadu district in record time.

Unveiling the plaque of the Rs 200-crore plant, the Chief Minister described the event as a wonderful moment and said that it would become the largest spices processing unit in Asia when its second phase was completed in the next 15 months.

"The plant, with a capacity of 20,000 metric tonnes, will provide the facilities of cleaning, grading, grinding, steam sterilisation, destemming and packing of 15 varieties of spices including chillies," said the Chief Minister. The plant will provide employment to 1,500 persons directly and indirectly besides benefitting over 14,000 farmers, he added.

Stating that Andhra Pradesh had been the number one state in the country in Ease of Doing Business (EoDB) for the last three years, YS Jagan said that the commissioning of the spices processing unit in 24 months reflected the commitment of the YSRCP Government for the industrial growth of the state. The Chief Minister also assured the company Chairman Sanjeev Puri that the Government was just a phone call away.

The government's decision to establish 10,668 Rythu Bharosa Kendras (RBKs) across the state have brought revolutionary changes in the agriculture sector.

Pointing out that the State Government wanted to establish food processing units in all the 26 districts with an estimated cost of Rs 3,450 crores, he said that foundation stones would be laid for the construction of 10 such units in the next two months at a cost of Rs 1,250 crore in the first phase. When all 26 units are completed, it would be a boon to the farming community besides providing employment to 33,000 persons, he added.

The Chief Minister spoke in Telugu to convey the importance of the plant.

Medical and Health Minister Vidadala Rajani said that the Chief Minister had been striving to make the state a top destination in the country for industrialists. She criticised Chandrababu Naidu saying that, while the Government was according highest priority for industrialisation, the TDP chief had been consistently creating hurdles in connivance with his friendly media.