Andhra Pradesh presents a tremendous growth opportunity in multiple sectors as the state, in its re-drawn geographical form, begins a new journey post-bifurcation.A vast coastline extending up to 950-km, the second largest in the country, massive deposits of mineral wealth, a predominant agricultural base, flourishing aquaculture, a robust film industry, a luring tourism and services sectors and famous pilgrimage destinations, all hold immense potential for growth for the state.Economic activity is the key to drive growth and, as such, the state is looking at every possible avenue to fuel the engine by unleashing its potential not only in the industrial sector but also in other areas as well.Sure, industrial development will be the vital element in the state’s growth story as it also ensures job creation on a major scale. At the same time, agriculture and allied sectors, as well as services, too will be major contributors to AP’s overall development plans.Infrastructure building will be another critical component with prime focus on development of seaports – existing and new – airports, waterways besides road and rail network.The AP government is currently drawing a blueprint enlisting the growth avenues and the course to be followed to spur industrial activity. The objective is to make AP a manufacturing hub with a set of large and medium scale industries spreading across the districts to create jobs for local youth.A new industrial policy is being drafted to set the course for development.
The 13 districts that comprise Andhra Pradesh hold wide potential for development on various fronts.Port city Visakhapatnam, for instance, is set to emerge as the critical centre for economic activity.The state government envisages Visakhapatnam to emerge as the “Economic Capital” of Andhra Pradesh, like Mumbai is to India.While a Petro-Chemical, Petroleum Investment Region (PCPIR) is already making headway, a new Information Technology Investment Region is also being planned for the city.A massive gas storage plant at a cost of Rs 5000 crore has been planned close to the Gangavaram Deep Water Port.
An ambitious 4-lane “Ocean Road” project is being planned along the entire stretch of the Bay of Bengal from Odisha on one end to Tamil Nadu on the other. The “Ocean Road” will give a thrust to the coastal economy, fuelling overall growth through a set of industrial units of varied disciplines.Plans are afoot to transform the Visakhapatnam-Rajahmundry-
International airports need to be built in Andhra Pradesh. The existing domestic airport at Renigunta (Tirupati) is currently being upgraded into an international one while plans to build a civilian international airport at Visakhapatnam remain grounded.
Besides Visakhapatnam, an international airport should be developed between Vijayawada and Guntur.The Rayalaseema region of the state too will be part of the growth story with districts like Chittoor and Anantapuram being part of the Chennai-Bengaluru Industrial Corridor.A National Investment and Manufacturing Zone is also coming up in Chittoor district while it has already become a base for agri-processing industries.“Andhra Pradesh is certainly a land of opportunities and offers enormous scope for development, particularly on the industrial front. Given the fact that investors from AP contributed to the industrial growth in Telangana, mainly Hyderabad, they should now be expected to invest the same in their own state,” officials and representatives of industry bodies aver.
Barring one or two, the much-hyped Special Economic Zones in Andhra Pradesh haven’t really taken off in the last eight years but now fresh efforts could be made to bring them on track.Success of all these will depend entirely on how best, and how fast, are the plans transformed into action.
