AP running as double-engine bullet train to speed up development: Lokesh

Amaravati: Education minister Nara Lokesh has said Andhra Pradesh is running as a ‘double engine bullet train’ on the development front under the joint leadership of the Prime Minister and Chief Minister.

Speaking to the media on Wednesday, he said, “The world is looking at India and AP in wonder, as to how they got the largest foreign direct investment outside the US to set up the Google Data Centre in Visakhapatnam. India and AP have made a big achievement. Like how Microsoft helped Hyderabad develop earlier, Google is going to develop Visakhapatnam. We are expecting that the local economy would witness a 25 times multiplier effect.”

Lokesh explained in detail the kind of efforts made by the chief minister through PM Modi and Union ministers Nirmala Sitharaman and Ashwini Vaishnaw to amend some provisions in the central laws, so as to facilitate Google to invest in Visakhapatnam.

The minister said the state government was committed to develop Amaravati as the capital city and decentralise development, covering all parts of the state. He listed the firms that have set up their business establishments and said some more were getting set.

“We are focussing more on execution of projects like ArcelorMittal, TCS etc. We are aiming for a $2.47 trillion economy by 2047 and we need the support from the people to help AP to witness rapid development,” he said.