Minister Nara Lokesh clarified that his government has not come to steal anything from Telangana and that Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu wants the two Telugu states to develop together. He said that it is important to stop water wastage and build projects to make good use of every drop. He reiterated that AP has no objection to the Kaleshwaram project.
Speaking to the national media in the backdrop of water disputes with Telangana, he clarified that they will move forward in unity with the neighboring state. He is confident that the leaders of both the states will resolve any misunderstandings through discussions.
Speaking about the programs undertaken to make Andhra Pradesh a leader in the field of technology, Lokesh said that they are taking inspiration from the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has the Chief Minister of Gujarat, allotted land to Tata Motors for just one rupee.
In the same way, he said they are allocating lands to giant companies at nominal lease prices so as to attract investments with the aim of making Visakhapatnam an international IT Hub.
Lokesh said that his government is giving top priority to IT development in the state. As part of this, he said that 21.31 acres of land have been allotted to leading software company Cognizant on a lease of just one rupee. This company will set up a campus in Visakhapatnam with an investment of Rs. 1,582.98 crore and will create 8,000 jobs.
Similarly, he said that 21.16 acres have been allotted to Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) for just 99 paise. He explained that it will create 12,000 jobs with an investment of Rs 1,370 crore. He said that this offer is also applicable to the top 100 IT companies in the world, which is a testament to the sincerity of the state government.
Minister Lokesh clarified the three capitals plan proposed by the previous government was rejected by people through their verdict in last year’s elections. He recalled that the fact that the YSRCP did not win a single seat, especially in the Visakhapatnam region, is proof of this, and that the people want development.
He said that in addition to developing Visakhapatnam as an IT hub and a global chemical manufacturing center, plans are being prepared to set up a new airport and the largest steel plant in the country.
