AP’s 2 Industrial Nodes Get Rs 5K Cr From Centre

We urged the central government to allow addl interest-free long-term loans for irrigation projects at drought- prone areas, particularly in the backward districts - Lanka Dinakar, Chairperson, Twenty Points Programs Implementation (Vikasit Bharat 2047 & Swarnana Andhra 2047), AP govt

Visakhapatnam: Stating that the BJP-led NDA coalition at the Centre under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi is firm in transforming Andhra Pradesh into a developed State in all spheres, Lanka Dinakar, newly-appointed Chairperson of Twenty Points Programs Implementation (Vikasit Bharat 2047 & Swarnana Andhra 2047), Andhra Pradesh, said the Centre recently sanctioned nearly Rs5,000 crore for development of two industrial nodes.

In an exclusive interview to Bizz Buzz here, he said the Centre has extended an assistance of Rs2,796 crore towards Orvakallu and Rs2,140 crore towards Koparthi Industrial Nodes. He said the Centre in the budget announced facilitating an assistance of Rs15,000 crore for building capital city at Amaravati and Rs12,157 crore for the construction of the first phase of the Polavaram Irrigation Project, which had slowed down during the five year rule of the YSRCP.

Accusing the erstwhile government of violating all the Centre’s guidelines, diverting funds received from the Government of India and totally failing to get funds under heads for drinking water supply, rural roads, housing for all and other welfare measures, he said now with the double engine sarkar, they are keen to ensure all-round development in Andhra Pradesh. The previous government was involved in gross irregularities by not submitting utilisation certifications and diverting funds from one department to another.

After the approval of the State Cabinet, the revised DPR submitted by the three-party coalition in Andhra Pradesh on implementation of metro rail is under consideration of the Centre. He said the work on the Bhogapuram International Airport is progressing at rapid pace and said the long-awaited dream of North Andhra people for South Coast Railway Zone with headquarters in Visakhapatnam is being realised with the decision of Ministry of Railways to complete construction works within two years through an e-tender notified sometime ago.

To a question, Dinakar said the twenty point programme includes regular review and expediting various works like poverty eradication, PMAY, housing, education and health for all, rural electrification and infrastructure, backward area development, welfare measures for SC, ST and BCs.

He said he has undertaken an exercise to hold meetings at district and State level with the top officials of various departments and elected representatives, mainly the MPs to speed up work. During his first meeting with Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Dinakar thanked her for the decision to fund various mega projects in Andhra Pradesh and sought her help for implementation of Swarnandhra Vision-2047 in alignment with the Prime Minister’s Vikasit Bharat Vision-2047.

He sought from the Centre long-term interest free loans to the State Governments for the encouragement to incur the capital expenditure (capex). He said the Centre has been providing resources for the State Government to create productive assets and infrastructure, which is required to allocate for Rs2 lakh to Rs2.50 lakh crore in the upcoming budget 2025-26.

He also pleaded for allowing additional interest-free long-term loans for irrigation projects at drought- prone areas, particularly in the backward districts based on future user charges and revenue generation from the additional water availability to the local bodies and industrial needs from the completed projects from these loans.