Lokesh Links Steel Plant Milestone to Youth Job Promise

Visakhapatnam: Education minister Nara Lokesh has hailed the stone-laying for the ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel's Rs.1.35 lakh crore plant in Anakapalli as a loud declaration of Andhra Pradesh's investment strength.

“What ArcelorMittal and Nippon Steel are undertaking today is not merely a Bhoomi Puja; it is a declaration of faith and confidence in Andhra Pradesh’s ability to deliver,” Lokesh said.

Earlier in the day, chief minister Chandrababu Naidu set the stone for what is billed as the country’s largest steel plant, near Nakkapalli in Anakapalli district.

The Greenfield project, to be developed by ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel, carries an investment of Rs.1.35 lakh crore and will have a production capacity of 17.8 million metric tonnes per annum (MMTPA). It is expected to generate 100,000 direct and indirect jobs, with an additional Rs.11,000 crore earmarked for a captive port.

Lokesh said this achievement reflected the “Speed of Doing Business” in modern Andhra Pradesh, recalling his first meeting with Aditya Mittal in 2019 and a decisive Zoom call in September 2024 that secured the investment.

Lokesh linked the project to his pledge of creating 2 million jobs for youths, a goal inspired by his Padayatra across the state. He recounted meeting Mohana, a roadside vendor who asked only for jobs for her children. Her words, the minister said, shaped his commitment to the employment generation.

Highlighting record timelines, Lokesh noted that approvals were secured within two months, land allotment within three months, and clearances within a year.

He stressed that the success of the project rests on “Brand CBN”, the trust Chandrababu Naidu has cultivated among global investors.

He also credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership and Union Steel Minister HD Kumaraswamy’s support in overcoming regulatory hurdles.

Naidu asserted that the project reflected not just incentives and policies but credibility and competence.

With Andhra Pradesh emerging as a hub for pharmaceuticals, IT and data centres, the AMNS steel plant is poised to transform the economic landscape of North Andhra. Lokesh reiterated that the government’s primary agenda is job creation, with 22 sector-based clusters driving decentralised development.

“We do not merely sign MoUs, we deliver results,” he remarked, adding that the steel plant will firmly position Anakapalli on the global industrial map.

Concluding his remarks, Lokesh said the groundbreaking ceremony represented not only an industrial milestone but also the fulfilment of a promise made to the youth of Andhra Pradesh.