Vijayawada: Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu said that at first, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu vied for the Kia Motors unit but the latter chose Andhra Pradesh since it found AP as corruption-free and having able leadership and transparency.
But the BJP was spreading falsehood saying that Kia unit came to AP due to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s initiative. Talking to partymen via teleconference, on Tuesday, Mr Naidu said, “I ran from pillar to post for investments to the state. Thanks to our efforts, several industries are being set up here. The BJP and the YSRC have colluded to tarnish our image and are trying to stall investments to AP. We are placed No. 3 among corruption-free sta-tes. We introduced hea-lthy industrial policies and are giving clearances within 21 days. Though the Centre is not cooperating, we are achieving results and if the Centre helped, we would have made a big leap forward,” he said.
He expressed happiness over the two auspicious events in which he took part on Tuesday — the trial run of Kia cars and supply of Krishna river water to the Rayalaseema region. He said the state could attract a Rs 13,500 crore investment throu-gh Kia Motors plant and another Rs 3,000 crore on its ancillary units. Kia company would generate employment for 11,000 people and the ancillary units about 4,000 jobs.
Kia Motors is expected to manufacture three lakh cars per year to create history, he said. The CM also said that AP had been developed as a mobile phone manufacturing hub with three out of 10 mobile phones in India manufactured in AP. “We brought the car unit whereas YSR and Botsa failed to bring the Volkswagen car plant to the state. For the sake of their kickbacks, officials had landed in jail. But we are today rolling out the first car and that is the difference between the TD and YSRC,” he said.
Kia Motors could be started only because water was supplied to Gollapalli, he said. and the residents of Rayalaseema are now confident. The farmers too are happy as the value of their land had increased, he observed.
The Chief Minister noted that the ‘Neeru-Pragati' programme was a success with the Krishna waters reaching the entire Rayalaseema region which was made possible due to inter-linking of rivers. Through Pattiseema project, 200 TMC of Godavari waters could be utilised and the Government's goal was to inter-link five rivers, he added.
He also said that the all-party meeting would be held tomorrow and there was need for united efforts to bring pressure on Delhi to protect the interests of five crore people of AP. The TD was fighting with the Centre without compromising on issues while the YSRC was toeing the Centre's line for getting its cases withdrawn and also joining with those who caused harm to the State, he remarked. The Centre was due Rs.1.16 lakh crore to the State and there was no response from Narendra Modi despite writing several letters, he disclosed.
Modi faced back flag demonstration and protests in Madurai for his apathy to Tamil Nadu after Gaja cyclone and he should face more severe opposition in AP which he had betrayed, the TD national president felt.
The Central budget slated for February 1 would be the last budget and there would be demonstrations in Delhi one day before the appropriation bill. The battle would not be over till justice is done to AP and the TD MPs had launched the struggle in Delhi. The TD struggle against the Centre should be taken to the people to create awareness among them, he said.
