Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Friday invited investors to choose the state as it offers numerous opportunities, promising to extend facilities such an escrow account and ‘sovereign guarantee’.
Addressing the 30th CII Partnership Summit in the port city of Vizag, the chief minister said the wide spectrum of opportunities available in the state straddle from agriculture to green energy, technology, quantum computing and several others.
“Lot of opportunities. You have resources, technology and knowhow. Come and join us in building,” Naidu said, adding that the state is strong in agriculture, horticulture, dairy, coffee, spices and a plethora of other sectors.
According to the CM, the state needs more and more players in the food processing sector. Promising best incentives and policies, Naidu said he will extend escrow account facility and ‘sovereign guarantee’ to investors.
‘AP, the gateway of India on the east coast’:
Wooing investors to consider Andhra Pradesh, the CM said the state enjoys excellent natural advantages such as a 1,000 km-long sea coast, calling it the gateway of India on the east coast.
Andhra Pradesh is number one in ease of doing business and we shifted gears into speed of doing business, he said.
Noting that the state is working to create a space city, drone city and electronics city, Naidu said it is also giving priority to greenery and will come up with a defence corridor.
Likewise, he said the southern state is also working towards establishing a Quantum Valley and Green Hydrogen Valley and added that the ‘first quantum computer in the country will come in Andhra Pradesh’.
Exuding confidence, Naidu said within two years Andhra Pradesh will start producing quantum computers to supply them to the world.
Out of India’s target of producing 500 GW of green hydrogen, the CM said Andhra Pradesh will aim to produce 160 GW.
Delving on deep technology, the CM said tech giant Google announced an investment of USD 15 billion to build a data centre in Vizag and noted that data centres with a capacity of 4 to 5 GW will also come to the state.
AP to launch drone taxis in two years:
As the Centre is promoting drones in a big way, Naidu announced that Andhra Pradesh will launch drone taxis within two years.
In addition to the state’s focus on tourism and logistics, the CM said its innovation mission is supporting entrepreneurs by leveraging futuristic technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, Internet of Things, data analytics and others.
Assuring that there are no problems with land in Andhra Pradesh, Naidu promised to issue all clearances in real time.
Besides bringing 25 policies, Naidu said the state will adopt all the policies brought by the Centre.
Addressing foreign investors, the CM said India is a democratic country with a stable government where their investments will be safe.
Reacting to Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal’s suggestion that there is need for a world class convention centre in Visakhapatnam, Naidu said he is ready to offer see-facing hill for that purpose.
Further, Naidu said the 2026 CII Partnership Summit will also be held in Vizag and advised participants to book their places right now.
‘Make Visakhapatnam your second home’:
The CM invited investors to make Vizag their second home, assuring to create an air strip for them to explore scenic places such as Araku, Lambasingi and others in the North Andhra region.
He requested the participants to forge a deal before departing and added that the state has attracted USD 20 billion investments in the past 18 months.
Naidu said he aims to attract USD 1 trillion worth investments to Andhra Pradesh in the next 10 years and to ultimately create a wealthy, healthy and a happy society.
Listing out the reforms brought in by the NDA government at the Centre, the CM said this century belongs to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Naidu noted that Modi first became the chief minister in 2002 (2001) and has been continuously winning elections. ‘Next election also he is going to win’, he said, hinting at the 2029 Parliamentary polls.
According to the CM, the prime minister has corrected all structural changes and brought GST reforms.
Naidu reiterated that Modi is the right leader at the right time in the right place.
Observing that India had started economic reforms in 1991, the CM underscored that by mid 1990s the country achieved first mover advantage in IT.
According to the TDP supremo, India rose from being the 11th largest economy to become the fourth largest one and predicted that the South Asian giant will be the third largest economy by 2026.
“By 2047, India will be (the) number one economy. It is unstoppable, it is going to happen,” he said.