Industry representatives look at Prime Minister-designate Narendra Modi and TDP’s chief ministerial candidate for Andhra Pradesh N. Chandrababu Naidu with high expectation to promote ‘Brand Vizag’.
With TDP’s pre-poll alliance with BJP, the industry is pinning high hopes that post-bifurcation, the city will get lot of importance in getting funds for augmenting infrastructure and offer the booster dose to put it on growth trajectory.
When The Hindu contacted some of the representatives of the industry, they said with special package and special category State status for Seemandhra, Vizag with its strategic location and ready-built infrastructure will get further mileage to transform into an international city.
Capt. Sriram Ravi Chander, CEO of Visakha Container Terminal Pvt. Ltd, said with a wonderful combination of Mr. Modi and Mr. Naidu to work hand-in-hand, they were expecting the city to become a commercial capital.
“I hope Mr. Naidu, who is credited with developing Silicon Valley-type facilities in Hyderabad, will replicate it in Vizag. Drawing synergies from Modi’s development model in Gujarat, we expect big refineries, development of ports, chemical complexes and other mega industries all along the coast,” he said.
Advisor to Visakhapatnam IT Association (VITA) Govind Rao said “we want Brand Vizag internationally known.”
He wanted development of hardware, software, BPOs and micro chip units and advocated involvement of Andhra University and GITAM University in micro chip education to compete with China.
Seafood exports Federation of Indian Fishery Industries (FIFI) expects the pro-active policies by the new Central and State Governments will make the city a leading centre for export of seafood.
The fishing industry is elated over election of BJP State president K. Haribabu as an MP and his prospects to become a Union Minister as he is familiar with the problems of fishing community.
FIFI president Y.G.K. Murti said they expect Mr. Modi and Mr. Naidu to clear the long pending demands of the fishing industry.
Their wish list includes: separate ministry for fisheries, granting of status on par with agriculture, inclusion of fishermen in SC category, ban on Letter of Permit and other foreign vessels, duty-free diesel supply and exemption of Central Excise Duty and State VAT to the fishing community.
Other demands include insurance, compensation in case of risk under National Natural Disaster Scheme, settling trans-boundary disputes with fishermen of the neighbouring nations though bilateral agreements and resolutions, waiver of loans and proper storage and processing facilities at the jetties.
