Amaravati, June 18 (IANS) Andhra Pradesh State Investment Promotion Board (SIPB) on Thursday approved proposals related to 50 companies involving investments worth ₹30,515 crore.

These projects are expected to generate 29,677 jobs across the state. Presiding over the 18th meeting of SIPB, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu directed officials to ensure that the benefits of industrial development reach poor and middle-class families.

He emphasised the creation of an industrial ecosystem in the state that enables ordinary citizens, not just wealthy entrepreneurs, to participate in business and industry.

The Chief Minister stated that Andhra Pradesh is witnessing rapid industrial growth and stressed that its benefits should directly reach the common people. He called for stronger support for startups and urged officials to fully utilise the government’s innovation initiatives to attract venture capital investments for emerging businesses.

Naidu also directed the Education Department to align academic curricula with the requirements of upcoming industries. He advocated introducing advanced technology courses such as robotics and ensuring that educational institutions prepare students for future industrial trends.

He warned that non-serious investors would not be tolerated and instructed officials to closely monitor approved projects to ensure their timely implementation.

The Chief Minister highlighted the importance of expanding ethanol production, noting that the Central Government has approved a 40 per cent ethanol blending target. He said promoting ethanol industries would benefit farmers while reducing India’s dependence on imported fuels.

He also called for greater emphasis on biofuel industries, semiconductor manufacturing, Lithium-ion battery production, fast-charging EV battery technologies, data centres, renewable energy projects including solar, wind, pumped storage, and Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS).

Naidu said Andhra Pradesh should prepare for future electricity demand and develop power infrastructure capable of supporting industrial expansion and the state’s goal of generating 160 GW of green energy. To support farmers, the Chief Minister directed officials to establish a Micro-Irrigation Equipment Park in the state.

He said encouraging the manufacture of irrigation equipment would lower costs for farmers and support the growth of horticulture and floriculture sectors.

Naidu advocated an automated approval system for industrial projects and land allocations to reduce political interference. Projects complying with all regulations should receive approvals through transparent automated processes, he said.

He also emphasised developing an ecosystem around the proposed Quantum Valley in Amaravati, including technology parks, quantum application development, and quantum computing equipment manufacturing.

The Chief Minister highlighted Andhra Pradesh’s growing automobile sector, citing manufacturing activities by companies such as Royal Enfield, Isuzu Motors, Hero MotoCorp and Kia Corporation.

He stressed the need to accelerate the establishment of a fifth-generation fighter jet manufacturing and testing facility at Puttaparthi and envisioned the Bengaluru–Puttaparthi region developing into a major Defence and aerospace corridor.

Naidu instructed officials to fast-track hotel and resort projects to encourage tourists to spend more time in the state.

State Minister Nara Lokesh said government incentives and concessions should be granted only after projects are grounded and operational. He noted that once industries begin functioning, they generate revenue for the state through GST and other taxes, making incentives more effective.

Lokesh also said that ITIs and polytechnic colleges are being mapped to local industries to improve skill development. He announced plans to establish a Centre of Excellence for Rare Earth Minerals research at Andhra University and referred to Russia’s successful quantum technology ecosystem as a model for Andhra Pradesh.

The meeting was attended by several ministers, senior government officials, and Chief Secretary Sai Prasad.

–IANS

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