Naidu Announces ₹1 Lakh Crore for Horticulture Hub at Madanapalle
The Chief Minister charged that the previous government has failed to provide irrigation even to a single acre in Rayalaseema
KADAPA: Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Friday announced that a global horticulture hub would be established at Madanapalle in Annamayya district with an investment of ₹1 lakh crore.
“The foundation stone for the project would be laid by August 15,” the Chief Minister declared at a public meeting after inaugurating the Rayalaseema Steel Plant project. He asserted that the horticulture hub would transform the region into a major centre for horticulture and agro-based industries.
AP government will mobilise ₹40,000 crore for the project, while ₹60,000 crore will come through private investment, Chandrababu Naidu explained.
He pointed out that Lingala mandal in Pulivendula constituency has recorded a per capita income of more than ₹7 lakh, among the highest in the state, mainly because of extensive horticulture cultivation. He said horticulture in the region has substantially improved farmers' incomes and land values.
The Chief Minister charged that the previous government has failed to provide irrigation even to a single acre in Rayalaseema. He assured that irrigation and drinking water requirements would now be addressed by the Gandikota project. At the same time, rehabilitation and resettlement packages for families displaced by the project would be implemented, he stated.
Naidu said completion of the Avuku tunnel had revived agriculture in Pulivendula and is supporting cultivation of crops including sugarcane. Water has also been supplied to the Erabelli tank, benefiting the farmers of the region.
The Chief Minister declared that Rayalaseema would emerge as a destination for investments in space, aerospace, defence, drone technology, electronics, automobiles, renewable energy, and food processing. He disclosed that JSW has expressed interest in investing in the proposed Space City and Drone City in Tirupati district.
Naidu announced plans to develop Gandikota as a major tourism destination on the lines of the Grand Canyon in the United States. He said investments are flowing into Andhra Pradesh because of governance based on trust and credibility. He criticised the previous government for creating uncertainty over the state capital and reiterated that Amaravati would be developed as the state's capital.
The Chief Minister said politics should be conducted responsibly and in the interest of people’s welfare. He alleged that attempts are being made to politicise sensitive issues. He expressed confidence in the police, saying law enforcement agencies are functioning responsibly and that the government had ordered strict action against drug-related activities.
Those who attended the programme included union minister of state for Steel and Heavy Industries Bhupathiraju Srinivasa Varma, AP ministers S. Savitha and Gottipati Ravi Kumar, government whip and Jammalamadugu MLA Chadipirala Adinarayana Reddy, special chief secretary (Industries) Dr Yuvaraj, district collector Dr. Cherukuri Sridhar, DIG Koya Praveen, SP Shelke Nachiket Vishwanath and joint collector Dr Nidhi Meena.