‘Infrastructure, State support key to better investment climate’

Industry-friendly policies explained at online meet

Speakers at an online conference organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) Andhra Pradesh on Monday ascribed sustained State support and continuous efforts to improve infrastructure to the congenial investment climate.

Speaking at the virtual event conducted on the theme ‘Reinforcing growth through infrastructure development: investment destination for the State of Andhra Pradesh’, R. Karikal Valaven, Special Chief Secretary, Industry & Commerce, Infrastructure & Investment, explained how the government focussed on the industrial sector, ways to attract more investments and introduced a new industrial policy to focus on providing best-in-class infrastructure, zero-hassle set-up, skilled labour and end-to-end hand-holding support for units to provide an industry-friendly environment on a par with international standards. “Development of four new ports to make Andhra Pradesh the logistics hub and gateway to South East Asia is under way. New industrial parks in different districts will be set up and infrastructure in the existing ones improved,” Mr. Karikal Valaven explained.

Model business city

Sri City founder Managing Director Ravindra Sannareddy emphasised on developing world-class infrastructure as the key to attracting investment. Lauding the foresight of the then Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy in promoting industrial development in the backward region, he narrated how Sri City emerged today as one of the best integrated business cities in the country. He also attributed the growth to the balanced mix of industrial and social infrastructure developed with the concept of ‘work, live, learn and play’, which was now home to 187 industrial units from 27 countries.

“The COVID-19 pandemic taught us new lessons on ‘Atmanirbhar’ (self-sufficiency), based on which we are developing residential complexes to enable walk-to-work concept.” He also wanted the Tirupati international airport to immediately take up cargo carriage facilities.

CII A.P. Chairman D. Ramakrishna, Indian Construction Equipment Manufacturers Association (ICEMA) president Sandeep Singh, Confederation of Real Estate Developers Association of India (CRDAI) president C. Sekhar Reddy took part.