Airports better than the one in Hyderabad would come up at Amaravati and Visakhapatnam in the private sector, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu announced at Orvakal on Wednesday. The State government was according priority to logistics and augmentation of passengers and good transport, expansion of roads, railway network and ports in the State, Mr. Naidu said at a meeting after laying the foundation stone for a greenfield no-frills airport at Orvakal in Kurnool district. The airport, coming up on 1,010 acres at a cost of ₹90 crore, would be completed in a year, he asserted.
The Central government launched the UDAN regional connectivity scheme to make air travel affordable to the common man, Mr. Naidu said. His government revived the Kadapa airport and developed international airports at Tirupati and Visakhapatnam.
‘A hub in the making’
Promising completion of roads, rail lines and ports by next year-end, he said Kurnool would become a major highway junction connecting Hyderabad, Bellary, Bengaluru, Kadapa and Amaravati. The Orvakal airport would spur development of townships, hotels and tourism would get a boost in the district which has several ancient and historic temples. Kurnool MP Butta Renuka, MLAs Gauru Charitha Reddy, B.C. Janardhana Reddy, S.V. Mohan Reddy, Principal Secretary of Energy and Airports Ajay Jain, A.P. Solar Power Corporation CEO V.S.R. Naidu, A.P. State Energy Efficiency Development Corporation CEO A. Chandrasekhar Reddy, A.P. Solar Power Corporation G. Adiseshu and TDP leaders were present.
Food processing unit
Earlier, he laid foundation stone for the Jain Irrigation Systems agro and food processing unit at Thangadancha in Jupadu Bungalow mandal.
The unit would generate direct employment to 3,500 persons and indirect employment to 10,000 persons.
Stating that drip and sprinkler irrigation tools were being given at 90% subsidy, the Chief Minister said horticulture would be more profitable to farmers than agriculture in the four Rayalaseema districts.
Deputy Chief Minister K.E. Krishnamurthy, MLAs S. Aisaiah, B. Rajasekhara Reddy, Mani Gandhi, and Jain Irrigation Managing Director Anil Jain were among those present.
