Lokesh Lays Foundation for Projects Worth Rs.3,800 Crore

Visakhapatnam: Education minister Nara Lokesh performed Bhoomi Puja for five new companies on Thursday, signalling investments worth over Rs.3,800 crore that could create 30,000 direct jobs in Visakhapatnam.

Lokesh noted that Google has announced a $15 billion investment in AP, while steel behemoth ArcelorMittal has committed to investing Rs.1.35 lakh crore in the state.

"Google representatives came to Visakhapatnam. We held a series of discussions with them and brought them to the state in 13 months. We will lay the stone of the Google AI Hub by the month-end," he said, adding that the state secured the ArcelorMittal steel plant "with just a Zoom call."

The minister revealed that when ArcelorMittal mentioned three problems during discussions, including the need for a slurry pipeline from NMDC, the chief minister spoke to the prime minister and resolved the issue.

Lokesh said, "We are not just building technology parks and office spaces; we are building a city of the future. Our goal is to make Visakhapatnam an AI capital, a data center capital, and an IT hub."

Visakhapatnam, he said, held a special place in the government's priorities. "Even though we faced headwinds across the state in 2019, the people of Visakhapatnam stood by us," he said.

Lokesh asserted that while it took 35 years for Hyderabad to reach its current level, Visakhapatnam would achieve similar development in just ten years. “We will make AP the California of the East," he told IT employees after the ceremony, adding, “After the people's government came to power, we have achieved investments of 120 billion dollars in the last 16 months. This is more than the investments received in the last ten years."

The minister confirmed that TCS and Cognizant would soon start their operations in Visakhapatnam, while some more IT giants would soon be coming to the state. He said 5 lakh jobs would be created in the IT sector over the next three years, with industries promising 15 lakh jobs.

Lokesh announced that the Bhogapuram airport would be completed by June 2026 and begin operations with international connectivity, becoming "a gateway for investments in North Andhra."

Addressing concerns about employment generation, he said, "Our government has promised to provide 20 lakh jobs. We are pursuing this goal with full dedication and speed."

Foundation laying details:

Sails Software Solutions: Investment: Rs.21 crore, job opportunities: 430

iSpace Software Solutions: Investment: Rs.119.18 crore in three phases, job opportunities: 2,000

Phenom People Pvt Ltd: Investment: Rs.207.5 crore in two phases, jobs: 2,500 jobs

K Raheja Corp: Investment: Rs.2,172 crore, jobs: 15,000

World Trade Centre (Kapil Group/BVM Energy and Residency): Investment Rs.1,250 crore in two installments, jobs: 15,000

Phenom's expansion: Investment Rs.200 crore on 4.45 acres; jobs over 2,500.