Officials and industry leaders discuss investment opportunities and economic growth plans at a CII conference in Amaravati. (File Image)

Vijayawada: The Andhra Pradesh government has urged investors to tap the emerging opportunities in the Amaravati region, highlighting its contribution to the state’s economy, ongoing infrastructure projects and plans for sustainable and inclusive growth.

Special chief secretary for tourism and culture, SS Rawat, made the call at a CII regional conference held at SRM University, Amaravati, on Friday. He said the region, comprising nine districts, contributed 35 per cent of the state’s gross domestic product (GDP).

The government, he said, has prepared economic development plan targets for 2030, 2035 and 2047, focusing on sustainable and inclusive growth. As many as 46 projects were being implemented in the region, while 480 acres had been allocated to 26 micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

Rawat highlighted the importance of connectivity to the Machilipatnam port and said BPCL planned a refinery in Prakasam district. A Bharat Dynamics Ltd unit would also be set up at Donepudi. He added that tourism offered significant investment potential.

Municipal administration principal secretary Suresh Kumar said the Amaravati region was poised to emerge as a major economic growth centre. Describing Amaravati as the crown jewel of the state, he said action plans had been drawn up to integrate economic growth, investment, sustainability and improved living standards.

High-speed rail services and integrated infrastructure were among the initiatives that would strengthen the region’s development prospects. The government was also identifying sectors with strong growth potential, he said.

Industries secretary N Yuvraj said the state was planning ports, shipbuilding clusters and food-processing clusters. The government, he noted, had identified Visakhapatnam, Amaravati and Tirupati as key regions for economic development.

CII Andhra Pradesh president Narendra Kumar Sharanam, ITC Agri Business chief executive Rahul Gauraha and PI Data Centers CEO Kalyan Muppaneni highlighted the state’s natural resources, entrepreneurial talent, infrastructure and policy vision. Effective utilisation of these strengths could position AP as a major domestic and global destination for investment and exports, they said.

Gauraha said ITC was committed to strengthening its partnership with Andhra Pradesh. The company was providing farmers with an integrated, 360-degree support system combining digital platforms and physical infrastructure to facilitate transactions, deliver technology-based, science-backed agricultural advice and enable them to market their produce.

Memorandums of understanding were signed between the government and investors at the conference.

Senior officials attending the event included food processing principal secretary Chiranjiv Choudhary, IT secretary Bhaskar Katamneni, transport secretary Kona Sasidhar, CRDA commissioner Vijaya Rama Raju, economic development board CEO Shan Mohan, Guntur collector Saikanth Varma and joint collector Ashutosh Srivastava, besides industrial representatives.

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