Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, who is now visiting Japan seeking investments to his state, elaborating the advantages of his state for Japanese firms, said the state is poised to become the gateway of Southeast Asia and Asia because of its 1,000 km-long coastline."We can send manufactured goods to countries like Malaysia, Singapore, China etc. We also aim to become logistics hub by developing 14 ports," he said. He said the state wants to have a strong infrastructure base,.
Making a strong pitch for Japanese firms, Naidu said the state government is considering a 'Japan-Plus Cell' that will clear proposals of Japanese firms online. This will not only be a single-window clearance, but also a single-desk clearance policy, he said. Naidu has asked Japanese investors to invest in India with an open mind and put their apprehensions to rest.During his visit to electronics major Panasonic, he said he is keen on putting AP on the trajectory of growth again. Asserting that the new Andhra Pradesh faced a crisis (post bifurcation), he said the situation has, however, been turned into an opportunity.
A top official of Panasonic said the company would help the AP government in purifying ground water and also skill development. The company said it would visit the state and explore opportunities for investments. In his response, Naidu invited them to invest in Visakhapatnam.Indian Ambassador to Japan Deepa Gopalan Wadhwa, who also took part in the deliberations stated that Andhra Pradesh is undoubtedly a good investment destination for Japanese companies because a significant number of Japanese firms have a base in the state. "Companies from Kansai region can start to make a database on AP industry...so that some collaboration will come to fruition," she added.
