Stating that incentives to be included in the New Industrial Policy would depend on the package promised by the Centre to Andhra Pradesh post-bifurcation, State Industries Commissioner Rajat Kumar on Thursday said Asian Development Bank, the lead agency selected for Visakhapatnam-Chennai Industrial Corridor, would finalise details by October 15.
During an interactive session with CII members on the roadmap for industrialisation of AP, he said the government was in favour of developing a dedicated freight corridor from Visakhapatnam to New Delhi via Bhopal to divert container cargo from the vast hinterland spread over several States to Visakhapatnam.
He said Visakhapatnam port would be transformed into a gateway port and with another deep draft port proposed at Dugarajapatnam in Nellore and Krishnapatnam on expansion-spree AP was all set to become a major hub.
Mr. Rajat Kumar also promised to consider the applicability of Central package to existing MSME industries as sought by Visakhapatnam Autonagar Small-Scale Industrialists Welfare Association president Ramakrishna Narapareddy.
To a suggestion by Visakha Container Terminal COO Sushil Mulchandani, he said the government would take up at political level the suggestions for relaxation of Cabotage law and increase in freight charges under the pretext of route rationalisation policy.
He said the proposed industrial corridor would also connect Tuticorin and Kolkata ports. Land bank
Admitting that financial resources and availability of land had turned into a major hindrance, he said they had so far identified 8,000 acres in Hindupur (Anantapur), 13,000 acres near Krishnapatnam in Nellore, 18,000 acres in Chittoor and some parcels of land in Atchupuram and Nakkapalli in Visakhapatnam for promotion of industries.
Visakhapatnam Port Deputy Chairman and CII zonal chairman G.V.L. Satya Kumar said as they had the deepest container terminal, the need was to attract more mainline vessels. Earlier, Senior Director from Deolitte Touche Tohmatsu Anindya Mallick gave a presentation on single window. CII AP chairman Suresh Chitturi and Vizag zone vice-chairman Neeraj Sarda were present.