The Andhra Pradesh Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (APIIC) has embarked on creating infrastructure in the new Industrial Parks (IPs) and augmenting facilities in the existing IPs and Auto Nagars, besides acquiring land for projects mooted by some big companies for which it has raised ₹2,000 crore from the market.
It has identified land for almost half of the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise (MSME) Parks proposed to be developed in each one of the 175 Assembly constituencies and is giving a facelift to the big industrial clusters like the ones in Chittoor and Nellore districts and other potential areas to catch the fancy of the investors.
This is against the backdrop of enquiries flowing in from around the world, including a latest one by a Taipei-based conglomerate dealing in Defence and electronics manufacturing.
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Workers’ welfare
Besides, the APIIC has turned its attention to the welfare of about three lakh workers employed in the IPs/Auto Nagars and their families, for which it is extending help in the establishment of ESI hospitals and dispensaries, industrial housing, skill upgrading, pollution control, fire safety, and education and literacy.
A plan of action is sought to be chalked out for that purpose.
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Land issues
While dealing with the land acquisition and allotment part, the APIIC, according to official sources, has informed the Chief Minister of the need to reclaim the land lying unused with the industries, which will be around 10,000 acres, and as high as 30,000 acres if the land stuck with the projects such as VANPIC (Vadarevu and Nizampatnam Port and Industrial Corridor) are to be accounted for.
Tedious process
“As far as the lands lying idle with standalone companies are concerned, the government is carefully calibrating its approach lest any roughshod handling of the matters should send wrong signals to the investor community. Then, taking back lands given for mega projects that are now defunct is obviously a tedious process,” an APIIC official told The Hindu on the condition of anonymity.
Concessions
He flagged another concern, which is the alleged insistence by prospective entrepreneurs to provide concessions/incentives beyond the government’s capacity.
In this regard, the State government has reportedly committed itself to giving concessions worth ₹5,000 crore to a multi-national company in return for its investments in Rayalaseema region.