Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu has asked Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to set up Thematic Defence Hubs and DRDO (Defence Research and Development Organisation) affiliated Centres of Excellence in AP as part of the plans to make Andhra Pradesh a pillar of the future of India’s defence and aerospace sectors.
He said that his government is committed to shaping AP in line with the goal of ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’, which leads India towards self-reliance in the defence sector. He said that as part of achieving this goal, several defence organisations should be set up in the state, for which his government will cooperate in various ways.
Chandrababu, who is on a two-days visit to Delhi, met Rajnath at the Defence Ministry office on Friday, as part of his schedule to meet seven union ministers and presented various proposals. In this meeting, the two leaders discussed extensively on the comprehensive plan prepared to make Andhra Pradesh a leader in the comprehensive development of the state, especially in the defence sector.
Later, he told the media that all necessary steps will be taken to make Andhra Pradesh an attractive destination for defence and aerospace industries through strategic infrastructure development and policy innovations in the state. Chandrababu said that Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh responded positively to the proposals submitted by the Andhra Pradesh government and assured full support for the development of the state.
He thanked the Union Minister for his encouraging response and support. Chandrababu expressed hope that this meeting will contribute greatly to the industrial progress of Andhra Pradesh, especially in creating employment opportunities for the youth.
The Chief Minister earlier in the day met with Union Minister Prahlad Joshi and said that the meeting with New Renewable Energy Minister Prahlad Joshi was satisfactory. He said that he had requested Andhra Pradesh to be given permission under the PM Suryagarh Mukti Bijli Yojana RoofTop Solar Capacity Allocation Scheme.
With the aim of making green energy more accessible to the people, a proposal has been submitted for allocation of rooftop solar capacity under the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana. Under this proposal, 20 lakh SC and ST households will get free rooftop solar systems. Similarly, BC households will be provided with a subsidy of Rs. 10,000 per kilowatt for installation of up to 2 kilowatts.
CM Chandrababu is also scheduled to meet Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Home Minister Amit Shah later in the day. He will participate in the NITI Aayog Governing Council meeting to be held on Saturday.