Minister for Information Technology and Communications N. Lokesh met Indian Cellular Association (ICA) president Pankaj Mohindroo along with Principal Secretary (IT) K. Vijayanand and other senior officials of the IT, Electronics and Communications (ITE&C) Department of Andhra Pradesh (A.P.) in New Delhi on Wednesday.
Action plan
They discussed the roadmap for transforming A.P. into an electronics and mobile phone manufacturing hub by attracting major players to set up their units at various potential locations, especially in the Electronics Manufacturing Cluster (EMC) coming up in the Tirupati-Renigunta area in Chittoor district. Mr. Lokesh and the top brass of ICA also deliberated on the establishment of a Centre for Development of Electronics System Design and Manufacturing in the State. He sought the cooperation of ICA in imparting mobile phone manufacturing skills training to the youth and said the State was preparing an action plan in that regard.
Tax sops sought
He urged the ICA to play a facilitating role in the setting of mobile phone spare parts manufacturing units in the State. Welcoming the initiatives taken by the Government of A.P. (GoAP) in the field of ITE&C, Mr. Mohindroo told the Minister that some policy decisions are to be taken, and tax concessions given if India is to compete with China in mobile phone manufacturing.
Mr. Lokesh said that A.P. Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu would raise the issues concerning the mobile phone manufacturers with the Central government and try to resolve them.
He said the GoAP would provide all facilities required by the phone manufacturers, whose foray into the State would create a huge number of jobs to the youth.
