AP set to acquire 4,000 acres for port-led development
The process for land acquisition has been initiated to promote port-led cities and industrial infrastructure, says Industries Minister
AP Industries Minister Gudivada Amarnath at a curtain-raiser event in Visakhapatnam
Visakhapatnam Andhra Pradesh Government is acquiring a minimum of 4,000 acres near the new ports being developed across the State for promoting port-led cities and industrial infrastructure.
“We have already initiated the process for land acquisition as Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy is very keen that the ports should emerge as industrial hubs giving a fillip to port-led development in the entire coastal region of the State,” Minister for Industries and Commerce Gudivada Amarnath said at a curtain-raiser programme organised here by the Visakhapatnam Port Authority (VPA) on the third edition of Global Maritime India Summit (GMIS) being held in Delhi from October 17 to 19.
The Minister said the State is investing Rs 16,000 crore in construction of ports at Mulapeta, Machilipatnam, Ramayapatnam and Kakinada (gateway port) to create additional cargo handling capacity of 110 million tonnes and jobs for 75,000 in next two to three years. Besides the ports, the government is also spending Rs 4,000 crore on integrated development of 10 fishing harbours and several fish landing centres. These harbours will have facilities for auction halls, cold storage, processing and value addition in tourism infrastructure for water sports.
He said the State is on the path of fast-track development due to visionary leadership of Jagan Mohan Reddy and patronage extended by the Centre for grounding new projects. Under Sagarmala, he said 119 projects with over Rs 1 lakh crore have been sanctioned for AP adding Union Roadways Minister Nitin Gadkari has also cleared six-lane expressway project from Visakhapatnam to Bhogapuram International Airport at a cost of Rs 6,500 crore. Of the total amount, Rs 4,500 crore will be spent on land acquisition and the remaining Rs 2,000 crore on laying the road.
The Minister said AP is also becoming home to India’s largest PCPIR between Kakinada and Visakhapatnam in an area of 640 sq km. He said they have already acquired 4,500 acres at Nakkapalli, 2,500 acres at Rambilli and 2,000 acres at Kakinada for allotment of the investors. He said after a very stiff competition, AP emerged successful in getting Centre’s approval for establishing a bulk drug park at Kakinada with an allotment of Rs 1,000 crore towards infrastructure creation. The park once ready will attract total investment of Rs 35,000 crore with a potential to provide jobs for 50,000.
