FSME India urges AP govt to name MSME Park after Mekapati

FSME India requested AP government to set up sheds in the MSME Park to create employment to local youth and empower SCs, STs, BCs and minorities

Hyderabad: The Federation of Small and Medium Enterprises of India (FSME India), an umbrella association for SMEs, has urged the Government of Andhra Pradesh to name the MSME Park in Narampet of Atmakuru constituency after former IT and Industries Minister late Mekapati Gautam Reddy, who released Rs2,500-crore pending incentives as per the State industrial policy.

The ex-minister took up the initiative of establishing this 173-acre state-of-the-art industrial park, out of which 5 acres are meant for the MSMEs. Overall plots are arranged in such a way to accommodate 323 industries. For setting up this park, a grant of Rs15 crore was given by the Central government, said APK Reddy, National President of FSME India.

He was speaking at a conference in Nellore organised by FSME India and Federation of Indian Export Organizations (FIEO) as part of the 'Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav' celebrations to commemorate India's 75th year of independence. He requested to set up sheds in the MSME Park to create employment to local youth and empower SCs, STs, BCs and minorities.

As Nellore district has an aqua-based Coastal Corridor, Mekapati was planning for the exports of rice, spices and wooden spoons made in Udayagiri, along with bringing more wood-based industries. He released the pending incentives at the right time to support the industries during the pandemic period.

In the meantime, he went to Dubai to bring more investments to the State and passed away soon after the return leaving the industry in grief. For all his efforts towards the MSME Park in Narampet, the FSME India urged the State government to name it as Mekapati Gautam Reddy Industrial Park.

The Central government identified port-based districts in every State. Krishnapatnam Port Company Ltd (KPCL) in Nellore district was one among those. Since Mekapati became a minister, he focused on the prospects of MSME sector, industrial policies and development of the constituency.