AP Set To Bring Out New Policy For GCCs, Data Parks

The State govt is reviving AP Economic Development Board under the leadership of a young IAS officer and a large army of graduates from premier institutes like IIM and IIT — Nara Lokesh, AP IT Minister

Visakhapatnam: Andhra Pradesh government is working on a new policy framework on Global Capability Centers (GCCs) and data parks. The State government will soon announce the policy that aims at attracting investments into GCCs and data parks, said Nara Lokesh, Minister for IT, Electronics, HRD and RTG. And it would be as part of Swarnandhra Pradesh Vision-2047, the Minister added.

“The thrust of the government under the visionary leadership of Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu will be to initiate confidence-building measures among the investors, which reached the lowest ebb during the five year rule of YSRCP. The vision document to be unveiled on November 1, will focus on decentralised development,” Lokesh told Bizz Buzz during a chat on the sidelines of CII Infrastructure Summit here on Wednesday.

Responding to a question on who all investors have evinced keen interest to invest in GCCs and data parks in Visakhapatnam and other places of Andhra Pradesh, Lokesh said it will not be appropriate on his part to make them public as the discussions were in an advanced stage.

After witnessing a flight of investments during the erstwhile regime, now, a new beginning is being made by reviving AP Economic Development Board (APEDB) under the leadership of a young IAS officer and a large army of graduates from premier institutes like IIM and IIT.

Earlier in his address during the CII summit, Lokesh recalled how Naidu played a key role in transforming Hyderabad into a mega metropolis after developing IT ecosystem and awarding the Shamshabad International Airport project to the GMR Group.

“Now, the construction of Greenfield Bhogapuram International Airport near Visakhapatnam by GMR will be a game-changer for economic prosperity in the North Andhra,” he added.

He said efforts are on to expedite work on all the three industrial corridors being routed through AP including Vizag-Chennai Industrial Corridor (VCIC), adding steps are being taken to launch work on various industrial nodes. YSRCP rule during 2019-24 turned into a ‘speed-breaker’ for development in the State.

Highlighting how they are developing decentralised development, he said Anantapur, located on the southern tip, is being developed as a mobility hub after launching production centre of Kia Motors in a backward area. Kurnool is being transformed into a hub for renewable energy after the Chief Minister announcing at the Fourth Global RE Investors Meet & Expo in Gandhinagar to produce 72GW in next five years. He said their thrust is to develop investments in biofuels in Prakasam district, electronic manufacturing in Chittoor and Kadapa district and IT, pharma and data parks in Visakhapatnam.

The Godavari districts will be developed as a major hub for sustainable aqua hub and Krishna-Guntur area will see huge development due to focus on rebuilding the capital at Amaravati as a futuristic capital. He said green ammonia and petrochemicals will be encouraged in East and West Godavari districts.

North Andhra, Lokesh pointed out, will be an IT and pharma hub and data park investment for the entire world. He indicated investments in the aviation and defence sector will also come up in a big way in North Andhra. Besides three new ports, airports will be developed in all the 26 districts to improve connectivity and underlined the need for setting in motion work on Metro Rail and reviving air operations of cargo from Vizag. A dedicated freight corridor will also be developed.

Roads & Buildings Minister BC Janardhan Reddy said the development of new ports is envisaged with a total investment of Rs17,665 crore. He said Bhogapuram International Airport, being a flagship project of the State, will become a gateway to global markets.

GBS Raju, Business Chairman (Airports), GMR Group, said GMR Group is a leading global infrastructure conglomerate, has diversified into airports, energy, transportation and urban infrastructure and is handling over 100 million passengers annually emerging as the world’s second largest private airport operator after starting with a humble beginning in jute mill business at Rajam in Srikakulam district in 1978.