Amaravati, July 17 (IANS) Andhra Pradesh State Investment Promotion Board (SIPB) on Thursday approved 22 new projects with an investment of Rs 39,473 crore.

The eighth meeting of SIPB, chaired by Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, approved the projects in various sectors, which are expected to provide 30,899 employment opportunities.

Eleven of these projects are in industries and commerce, seven in the energy sector, three in tourism, and one each in IT and food processing.

So far, under the coalition government, eight SIPB meetings have approved 109 projects. These include 46 in the industrial sector, 41 in energy, 11 in tourism, 7 in IT, and 4 in food processing.

These have brought in total investments of Rs. 5,74,238 crores and are expected to provide 5,05,968 employment opportunities, said an official statement.

Addressing the meeting, the Chief Minister emphasised the need to develop a symbiotic ecosystem around upcoming industrial projects in Andhra Pradesh, ensuring mutual benefit for industries, local communities, and associated institutions.

Chief Minister Naidu said that such integrated development will not only accelerate industrial growth but also uplift the surrounding regions through job creation and institutional linkages.

The Chief Minister directed officials to ensure the development of robust infrastructure, including roads, ports, airports, and utilities around all upcoming industrial projects in the state.

He underscored that such development is essential to stimulate economic activity and win the confidence of local communities and farmers. “People will part with land only when they are convinced of tangible benefits,” the Chief Minister observed, stressing the need for companies to adhere to project timelines.

The Chief Minister laid special emphasis on integrated planning for tourism development. He instructed officials to design tourism projects with a broader ecosystem approach, expanding activities beyond core attractions to encourage service sector investments. For tourism initiatives under the PPP model, he ordered fast-tracked acquisition and preparation of government land.

Highlighting Srisailam’s potential, given its spiritual and water-based assets, the Chief Minister called for a comprehensive, integrated tourism plan to draw more visitors. He also directed officials to expedite the expansion of road connectivity to Srisailam to support increased tourist flow.

In the hospitality sector, the Chief Minister advised focusing beyond hotel accommodations to include recreational and service-linked projects that generate employment and attract private investment.

To ensure transparency and accountability in job creation, CM Chandrababu Naidu instructed the development of a dedicated employment portal that tracks and reports job opportunities generated across both public and private sectors.

The meeting was attended by Ministers Nara Lokesh, K. Atchannaidu, Payyavula Keshav, TG Bharat, Anagani Satyaprasad, Gottipati Ravikumar, Kandula Durgesh, and Vasamsetti Subhash. Chief Secretary K. Vijayanand and senior officials from various departments.

–IANS

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