Industries minister virtually lays stone, opens 8 projects

Vijayawada : Minister for industries Gudivada Amarnath virtually inaugurated and laid foundation for eight projects worth Rs 4,178 crore of Birla group, Reliance Energy, Hella Infra, Vesuvian India Limited and APIIC and AP MSME Corporation from his chamber at the Secretariat here on Wednesday.

Speaking on the occasion the minister said that the state government has been encouraging entrepreneurs who are coming forward to set up industries in the state. A total 11 industrial corridors including Visakhapatnam-Chennai, Chennai-Bangalore, Bangalore-Hyderabad industrial corridors are coming up in AP. Taking advantage of 974 km coast line, the state government took initiative to develop four ports at a cost of Rs 20,000 crore and as part of it, 2.5 lakh MSMEs were set up in the past four and half years, he said, adding efforts are on to set up 50 industrial clusters in all 26 districts.

Giving details of the project, the minister said that foundation laid for Carbon Block manufacturing unit of Birla Carbon India Private Limited to be set up at a cost of Rs 1,700 crore to provide employment to 250 people in Naidupet of Tirupati district. PVC pipes and fittings unit of Hella Infra will be set up at a cost of Rs 260 crore to provide employment to 400 people. Likewise, Reliance Energy will set up biogas plants at eight places in the state at a cost of Rs 1,024 crore to provide employment to 576 people. The minister also launched a website of APMSME. APIIC MD Praveenkumar, commissioner of industries Rajeswar Reddy, MSME Development Corporation CEO Sethumadhavan and others were present.