Amaravati, Jan 19 (IANS) The NDA government has restored the brand image of Andhra Pradesh in the past 18 months, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu said on Monday.

He claimed that as a result of this, Andhra Pradesh was able to attract 25 per cent of total investments that came in the country.

Addressing the Telugu Diaspora in Zurich, the Chief Minister stated that Google has come forward to set up AI data centre at Visakhapatnam and RSLR Mittal going to set up steel plant with an investment of Rs 1 lakh crore. The AM Green company is going to make a massive investment on Green Ammonia plant at Kakinada.

Telugu Diaspora from 20 countries attended the programme, organsied on the first day of the Chief Minister’s four-day visit to attend World Economic Forum meeting.

He said efforts were on to attract investment of Rs 22 lakh crore to provide employment to 20 lakh youth. Citing the development of a small country Liechtenstein, the Chief Minister said that Andhra Pradesh government focusing more on Quantum computing, AI, Space and Drone technologies. At same time priority is given for health and going to introduce Sanjeevani health programme through the state.

The Chief Minister said that Andhra Pradesh government has created Rs.50 crore corpus fund to encourage Non-Resident Telugus (NRTs) to become entrepreneurs.

He urged NRTs not to remain as employees but become employment providers by turning as entrepreneurs. He said that by adopting innovative ideas, it is not difficult to become entrepreneurs.

He said that to encourage NRTs to become entrepreneurs the Andhra Pradesh government arranged Rs 50 crore corpus fund. Necessary cooperation and guidance will also be extended through Ratan Tata Innovation Hub.

He said the responsibility of developing NRTs as entrepreneurs was entrusted to ministers Nara Lokesh, TG Bharath and Union Minister Rammohan Naidu.

The Chief Minister noted that while Telugu people live in 195 countries, NRTs from Andhra Pradesh are present in 148 countries.

Inviting NRTs to invest in Andhra Pradesh, the Chief Minister said the state government is ready to extend cooperation to make them entrepreneurs. He advised the NRT employed couples that one of them should opt for entrepreneurship to become job providers. If they are ready take up entrepreneurship abroad, the state government will extend cooperation and if they want to return to their native place Andhra Pradesh, the government will welcome them and extend necessary cooperation.

The Chief Minister said that the Andhra Pradesh government has been extending cooperation to students to pursue overseas education by standing guarantee to extend education loans with four per cent interest rate.

He said that AP FIRST, the biggest research centre, will be set up in Tirupati to promote innovation, creativity to provide employment opportunities to youth. Stating that India will emerge as number one by 2047, he said Andhra Pradesh should be in number one position in the country.

Indian ambassador for Switzerland Mridul Kumar, Union Minister for Civil Aviation K Rammohan Naidu, Ministers Nara Lokesh, TG Bharath, APNRT society president Vemuri Ravi Kumar were present.

–IANS

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