The State government proposes to establish a defence cluster at Donakonda in Prakasam district.
Industries Minister Mekapati Goutham Reddy, who led a delegation on Wednesday to the DEFEXPO-2020 in Lucknow, said the government was open to work in partnership with the French company, Agence Francaise de Developpement (AFD), for implementation of the proposal.
“Our government has already sent a proposal to this effect to the Centre. There are vast tracts of land available at Donakonda. Its proximity to the Krishnapatnam port and Chennai will also help in the import-export operations,” Mr. Reddy said, adding that Donakonda was an ideal place for this ‘Make in India’ initiative.
The Minister further said that the students of the State were being imparted training to improve their skill sets in ship-building and marine systems by Dassault Systems, and several of them had already secured placements in top companies.
Infra development
“We are investing heavily in the development of infrastructure, which includes six operational seaports, seven airports, over 1,23,000-km road network, and 2,600-km rail network across the State,” Mr. Reddy said, claiming that Andhra Pradesh was on the cusp of a major economic and social transformation.
“By 2030, Andhra Pradesh’s working age population will account for over 60% of the population. Besides, urbanisation is expected to increase from 35% to over 50% by 2035. The State aspires to continue to be the best in th Ease of Doing Business (EoDB). We also plan to reduce the cost of doing business by simplifying regulations and processes.” he said.
