Government urged to revoke GO barring new industries around Kia Motors

Anantapur: Penukonda Assembly constituency is hosting two major industrial firms including Aerospace Park by Bharath Electronics Limited (BEL) and National Academy of Customs, Excise and Narcotics (NACEN). However, a GO given long ago by the then TDP government is now the bottleneck for the two new industrial projects to become a reality.

Despite representations by the projects' executioners concerned, the YSRCP government is yet to take a view on it even after 2 years of its rule in the state. The people's representatives including local MP have no time to attend to industrialists' grievances.

The company functionaries are urging the District Collector Nagalakshmi Selvarajan to take the initiative to draw the government's attention to the problems being faced by the PSUs to take their projects forward. Already foundation stones were laid for these projects. Civil works are on progress. BEL has already constructed a compound wall and internal concrete and cement roads spending Rs 50 crore.

However, a Government Order given by the then TDP government that no major industry should come up within 10 km radius Red Category area of Kia Motors on environmental grounds, is now the impediment for the projects progress.

The fact is that BEL had been given the land for setting up a BEL unit long before Kia Motors came to Penukonda. Technically speaking the GO does not apply to BEL but the Central undertaking authorities want the Jagan Mohan Reddy government to give clarity on the issue. APIIC sources told The Hans India that BEL on its part is ready to commence technical construction of the plant but was waiting for the state government's response and advise.

A total of 1,650 acres had been acquired for the two major projects in Gorantla and Somandepalle mandals. An industrial water supply scheme has been formulated basing on water stored in Gollapalle reservoir. The project costing Rs 450 crore spread over an area of 260 acres will provide direct employment to 2,500 people and indirect employment to 6,250 personnel. It will have facilities such as assembly hangers, hard stands for radars and weapon integration, RF radiation sources for target simulation, automatic test equipment, clean rooms for electronic assembly, non-explosive & explosive integration building, environmental test chambers, fire stations, solar power plant, estate and administration.

National Academy of Customs, Excise and Narcotics (NACEN) to be set up in Palasamudram mandal in the district is a premier academy not only for officers and other stakeholders of India but also for participants from other countries and international organisations.

NACEN has been recognised and accredited by various international bodies such as WCO, UNEP, UNODC, ADB and SASEC etc as an important institution of capacity building, in particular in the Asia Pacific region. In this connection, international Training and Cooperation (ICT) section conducts regular training for international participants.