Andhra CM commissions Rs. 2.5K-cr Ramco Cement plant

Nandyal: Asserting that the proactive policies of the government are paving way for rapid industrial growth, Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy on Wednesday said the conducive atmosphere and transparent policies reflect in the top rankings in Ease of Doing Business the State has been getting.

Addressing a large gathering after commissioning the Rs 2,500 crore Ramco Cement's project at Kalwatala near here, he congratulated the Ramco Group for coming to Andhra Pradesh and starting the unit in a record time. The project will be providing jobs to over 1,000. The Chief Minister promised to provide all help for further expansion of the unit.

Reddy said he is just a phone call away and the government will render all help to the investors. The Ramco unit could come to steam in just 30 months which speaks of the cooperation and support the government has extended and the same will continue in running the plant, he said adding, the clinker and grinding capacity will take the production to three million tonnes. Despite heavy limestone deposits in the region, there was no development earlier and with the unit coming, a new chapter has begun.

Stressing the need to promote green energy, the Chief Minister said that if farmers come forward an annuity of Rs 30,000 per acre will be paid to them and the government will enter into an agreement with them with a hike of five per cent lease amount every three years. The land will be utilised for setting up of renewable energy like solar and wind and the local MLAs and others can work on it and it would be better if a cluster of 1,500 to 2,000 acres is formed in the region for generating 500 MW power.

"We have laid the foundation stone in this region at Kurnool recently for 5400 MW renewable energy projects of solar, wind and pump storage projects of Greenko group which will provide 2600 jobs. We have also given the nod for Indosol, ArcelorMittal, Aurobindo and Adani Groups for an investment of Rs 72,188 crore providing 20,000 jobs to locals as 75 per cent reservation for locals are in place," he stated.

The CM said Andhra Pradesh could get top ranking in EoDB in the country for the past three years and the new format sought feedback from the industries for the grading which proved how conducive the atmosphere is for industrialisation.