When dreams begin to soar! The time has come to walk the talk. As promised by the Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, the Master Plan for the most modern Capital City of Amaravati is ready. Singapore Minister Eswaran here is seen handing over the Master Plan to the Chief Minister on May 25 at Secretariat in Hyderabad, in time for laying the Foundation Stone on June 6 for the brand new Capital of Andhra Pradesh.
CONTENTS THE LEAP oF FAITH
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Reimagining AP in Gigabytes
But for Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu ‘s transformational leadership during this one year, Andhra Pradesh would not have been able to project itself as the ‘Sunrise State’. A special article on how the CM could bring about the transition from despair to hope and confidence.
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Konaseema to be Tourism Hub
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Snapshots from public response
State Gets Industrial Push
A River Calling: Godavari Pushkaralu
Snapshot
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The State’s thrust sectors & targets, in a nutshell.
16 AP to emerge as Preferred Port of Call
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Happening Andhra
32 22
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Chief Minister’s Social Network
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A People’s Capital in the Making It’s a masterstroke in branding as the CM sets out to build a world-class capital by making locals stakeholders.
AMAraVATI
18 Amaravati. A name steeped in history. A name that conjures up the most glorious phase in the history of India, and of Telugus. Sai Papineni takes you on an exciting journey through time, to the first stirrings of the historical process.
Various developments across the state of Andhra Pradesh.
30 Amazing AP: Yaganti Temple
ANDHRA PRADESH
EDIToRIAl
Monthly Published In English & Telugu Volume: 8 Issue: 11 Salivahana Era 1937
commissioner & Publisher N V Ramana Reddy, IRPS chief Editor Ramesh Kandula Editor Naresh Nunna
Assistant Editor Shruti Mathur
Cover Page CM Chandrababu Naidu
Second Cover CM receving Capital Master Plan Third Cover CM at various events
Fourth Cover APIIC Advt on Sunrise State
Published by: Information & Public Relations Department Government of Andhra Pradesh Hyderabad - 500 028 Ph: 040-23300258
Views expressed by various authors in this issue reflect their personal opinions. Design Sai
Printed at: Caxton Offset Pvt. Ltd. Hyderabad
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From Darkness to Light!
It would be an understatement to say that the State of Andhra Pradesh was not born with a silver spoon. In a way, the residuary state was an unwanted child thrust upon the people.
While political compulsions resulted in a hasty caesarian birth to the state, the time has come to make the best of our destiny. There are indeed too many challenges, almost insurmountable, staring at this prematurely carved out state. Cut off from its umbilical cord, the state has been left with a thin economy that can barely support the dreams and aspirations of a highly motivated people.
But, there are silver lines. The new state of Andhra Pradesh has political stability. It is endowed with enormous natural resources. The region boasts of a strong entrepreneurial zeal. There is a sense of resentment within people that can be positively moulded for turning adversity into prosperity.
The new government of Andhra Pradesh is leaving no stone unturned to transform the state into a leading economy in the country within a decade. While the target is ambitious, it is not unachievable.
This issue of Andhra Pradesh magazine coincides with the completion of one year for the first Government of the newly formed State. On this sombre occasion, we need to reflect, and feel grateful as to how the dynamic and committed leadership of Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu made a tremendous difference to Andhra Pradesh and its people.
In just one fledgling year, the Government headed by Chandrababu Naidu successfully led the people from despair to hope through humungous efforts in every field.
On this occasion, we wish more power to this administration and to the people of this State, for a great future!
Each Issue : Rs 5/Annual Subscription : Rs 50/www.apchiefeditor@gmail.com www.ipr.ap.nic.in ANDHRAPRADESHMAGAZINE.COM
RAMESH kAnDulA chief Editor
JUNE 2015
foREwoRD
A Year of Hope & Reconstruction
A year in government may not be a watershed development in normal circumstances. But for a choice-less state that came into being against its volition and without supporting administrative structures, the challenges can be intimidating. The situation of the newly formed Andhra Pradesh was no different.
Hence, it is indeed a time for reflection, if not for celebration, to the newly born state of Andhra Pradesh which completed one year of its honourable existence and which emerged as a Sunrise State in such a short time under an able and efficient Chief Minister.
Any new government will have its tasks cut out in brining changes that it had promised to the people. But the new chapter that started on June 2, 2014 in the history of Andhra Pradesh is very different. With administrative machinery that was in a bad shape due to the bifurcation blues, with institutional confusion reigning everywhere due to protracted issues relating to division, with a temporary administrative centre that was far removed from the geographical state, it was a herculean task even to bring about a semblance of governance to Andhra Pradesh.
Many of us do remember that the first Chief Minister of new Andhra Pradesh did not have proper chambers to function from. Nor were there enough number of officers and staff to put the governance on track. It was a classic case of things falling apart with no centre to hold.
It was from this state of disarray that the Government headed by Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu reconstructed not just a functioning state but a ‘Sunrise Andhra Pradesh’ that aims to be one of the most developed states in the country in a decade.
Bringing back the administrative wheels on to the tracks, putting policies on firm foot, instilling a new sense of hope among the people, and leading the new team from the front, the Chief Minister has not lost a second in the year gone by.
On this solemn occasion, let us rededicate ourselves to stand solidly behind the Chief Minister, who, like the celebrated poet Robert Frost, echoes these famous lines in his endeavour for a Swarna Andhra Pradesh: The But And And
JUNE 2015
woods are lovely, dark and deep, I have promises to keep, miles to go before I sleep, miles to go before I sleep.
ANDHRAPRADESHMAGAZINE.COM
n V RAMAnA REDDy commisioner, I&PR
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THE LEAP OF FAITH
A Year of Turning Challenges into Opportunities
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The transformational leadership provided by Nara Chandrababu Naidu in the last one year has ensured that the distressed state of Andhra Pradesh tapped into its natural resources and geographical advantages to realize its true potential. But for Naidu’s amazing energy levels and his visionary leadership, a battered AP could not have risen from the ashes like Phoenix to project itself as the Sunrise State. ANDHRAPRADESHMAGAZINE.COM
JUNE 2015
B
arely three months after Nara Chandrababu Naidu took over as Chief Minister of the truncated and dispossessed state of Andhra Pradesh, the Dharwad Industries Association and the Dharwad Growth Centre in Karnataka, have rued their state losing the Hero Motocorp manufacturing unit to AP. “Unfortunately, the State government failed to hit the right chord at the right time. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu could score over his counterpart Siddaramaiah and bagged this mega project,” Ravi Akalwadi and Shirish Uppin, representatives of these organisations said, according to a The Hindu report. When Hero MotoCorp MD and CEO Pawan Munjal had earlier announced that the company was looking at setting up one of its largest facilities in south India for the local market, the residuary state of Andhra Pradesh was not even in the reckoning. Actually, the announcement saw Telangana, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu woo the two-wheeler giant with competing incentive packages. It looked like the project would land either in Karnataka or in Telangana where the company representatives had earlier scoured for possible locations. But when Hero MotoCorp finally entered into an MoU with Andhra Pradesh government in September 2014 to set up the Rs 2,200 crore green field manufacturing facility, few had any doubts that the turnaround could only be due to the tenacity and famed persuasive skills of Chandrababu Naidu. The pink papers duly noted the paradigm shift that was occurring with Chandrababu at the helm in the bornagain Andhra Pradesh. The Economic Times reported on the development saying the AP Cabinet cleared allotment of 600 acres near Sri City integrated business city in Chittoor district to Hero Moto-Corp, “stealing a march over neighbouring states to host the factory”. Business Standard dubbed the development as ‘the biggest coup’ of Naidu.
Walking the Extra Mile, Literally!
Going all out to attract investment and MAY 2015
Cover Story wooing big businesses is not new for Naidu. His efforts to turn the barren outskirts of Hyderabad into Cyberabad are now stuff of legends in pro-active governance. It is well-known how Naidu had walked the extra mile to impress upon the reticent Bill Gates to open the IT bellwether Microsoft office in Hyderabad, the first and the biggest outside the company’s US Headquarters, way back in 1998, transforming the city of Charminar into the Hitec City that it is today.
stint as the CM of united AP. Even as his image as being a performance oriented CM remained intact in the last decade when he was out of power, what drastically changed by 2014 is the ground situation.
A Decade of Lost Opportunities
A decade of misrule and lost opportunities cost the state dearly, and bifurcation was like the proverbial last straw. Disinherited of Hyderabad, the economic engine of the erstwhile
It looked like that the new state of Andhra Pradesh, with no administrative capital, no economy of substance, no growth drivers, a deficit of Rs 15,000 crore, could never really pull itself out of the morass it was sucked into. During this one year of dire straits, what CM Chandrababu Naidu has achieved is nothing less than a miracle. Chandrababu Naidu’s extra-ordinary effort in clinching the deal for setting up of the prestigious Indian School of Business in Hyderabad is another edifying story in dynamic leadership. The global management institution was almost finalized for launch in Bangalore. According to one of the leading business figures privy to what happened then, when the Executive Board made a formal visit to Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu’s residence in Hyderabad before flying to Bangalore, things took some unexpected turn. Naidu not only hosted a sumptuous lunch taking personal interest in serving the specially prepared Andhra dishes to all the members of the Board, later he, the Chief Minister of the united Andhra Pradesh, actually walked them to their cars outside his Jubilee Hills residence, in between impressing upon them that Hyderabad was the ideal location for the world-class institution. As can be expected, the reception in the neighbouring state was not as welcoming. The rest is history as the foundation stone for the ISB campus was laid in Hyderabad in 1999 and was inaugurated by Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in 2001. Chandrababu Naidu’s name and fame reached far and wide for his remarkable performance during the nine year ANDHRAPRADESHMAGAZINE.COM
state, and beggared by the unscientific, ill-thought out and hurried division, the residuary state was reduced to an inconsequential geographical entity. It looked like that the new state of Andhra Pradesh, with 13 districts, with no administrative capital, no economy of substance, no growth drivers, few institutions of excellence, sparse industrial activity, a deficit of Rs 18,000 crore in the very first year of its new existence, and with a people wounded in their pride, could never really pull itself out of the morass it was sucked into. As the bard would say, “What though the field be lost, All is not lost”. ‘The unconquerable will’ and ‘the courage never to submit or yield’ prevailed when the gritty Chandrababu Naidu was elected the first Chief Minister of an abandoned state. Naidu took oath on June 8, 2014, and during this one year of dire straits, what he achieved is nothing less than a miracle. An administrator par excellence, Naidu took control of the reins, released white papers on all important sectors including industry, agriculture, power and infrastructure to let the people know where the state stands. And then, he started unveiling his vision for Sunrise Andhra Pradesh.
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He set targets for the state to become one of the top three states in India by 2022 and achieve the status of a developed state in the country by 2029 and a leading investment destination in the world by 2050-51. Towards this end, the Chief Minister has charted out a multi-pronged strategy comprising seven Missions, five Grids, five Campaigns, Janmaboomi programme and the Smart Village programme to work towards the common vision. And then, he jumped headlong into action. Having understood that what the state needed was a sound industrial base and a world-class infrastructure to make things happen, the Chief Minister took upon himself the arduous task of making Andhra Pradesh a fovourable destination for investments. “Naidu 2.0: From software to everywhere,” is how Business Standard described the metamorphosis, noting that, “The Andhra Pradesh chief minister is pulling out all the stops to draw industry to his state and the neighbours aren't happy about it”.
Pilgrimages to Prosperity
In his relentless pursuit to attract investments, Chandrababu Naidu has been on a branding blitzkrieg, leading official and business delegations from his state to as many as three countries – China, Japan, and Singapore – besides visiting Davos in Switzerland as a special invitee for the World Economic Forum. Probably no other Chief Minister in the country put in as much effort to engage global investors in the first year of assuming office. As The Asian Age, in an article titled, “Chandrababu Naidu outdoes CM at bagging investors,” remarked, “Though Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and his Andhra counterpart N. Chandrababu Naidu have been on foreign tours at the same time in different countries to attract investment, the latter successfully signed 10 MoUs (memorandum of understanding), while the former had to be content with the assurances of foreign investors.” The report was talking about the Chief Minister’s China visit. Actually as many as 29 MoUs – between
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Government to Industry and between Indian and Chinese companies – were signed during the trip. All in all, there was a palpable interest among the three Asian tigers to participate in the building of the proposed 130 infrastructure projects worth Rs 2 lakh crore in the state, following Naidu’s forays. The CM’s flair for reaching out to all who can help build his state is evident in the way he got separate audio visual presentations for each of the three countries he visited – in Japanese and Chinese languages too. The delegates, including the CM, had their business cards printed in these languages too! No wonder he made such an impression not only on the business leaders of these countries but their political leaders as well that the Singapore government came forward to prepare the master plan for the new capital of the state for free of cost as a goodwill gesture. “You have a very persuasive CM. He
quate improvement in Key Human Development indicators in AP, the present government set out to turn the state into a ‘Knowledge Hub’. Besides taking up far-reaching changes in the primary and secondary education sector, Chandrababu Naidu used his leverage with the Union Government to establish institutes of higher learning. As many as a dozen national level institutes including IIM, IIT and IISER, are in various stages of setting up. There is a large focus in the government on skill development as well. Not in the very recent past, the state reeled under power cuts even in the thick of winter. Naidu, always known to take keen interest in the energy sector, swung into action to correct the course. The state is now 24/7 in quality power availability, not just because AP was selected by the central government for ‘Power for All’ scheme, but as much because the CM’s efforts to streamline the sector. As a result, AP registered transmission and distribution (T&D) losses of just 12.5% in 2014-15, which is the
The people of the state are immensely beholden to Chandrababu Naidu for being at the helm at this critical juncture, as he single-handedly rescued the state from oblivion to instill a sense of hope and confidence. They know they are in safe hands to realize the dream of ‘Sunrise Andhra Pradesh’.
will not rest till he gets what he wants,” Singapore Minister for Trade and Industry S Iswaran said, appreciating Naidu’s determined efforts to lure Singapore into investing in AP.
A Year of Firm Footing
It would be a lesson in administrative and political management to learn how Chandrababu Naidu packed so much in just 365 days – a very short time for a government to show any achievement. From ideating on every sector to initiating profound reforms, this government impacted every sector and field of administration. From an aspiration to a blue print, the capital city of Amaravati is all set to be grounded with the help and cooperation of farmers of capital region (see the report on following pages). While the past decade is characterised by stagnation or inadeANDHRAPRADESHMAGAZINE.COM
second lowest in India. Launching of infrastructure mission, one of the seven missions for the integrated development of the state, is another milestone of Chandrababu Naidu government. Developing 14 ports that will compete with Singapore as a 'Logistics Hub', three Mega Cities, 11 smart cities and 28 SEZs to make Andhra Pradesh an economic hub, building three International Airports and ten Domestic Airports, creating a network of inland waterways are some of the targets for the mission.
The Welfare Challenges
Of course, he had his challenges – many of them almost insurmountable. While the long-term and short term goals of asset creation, industrial promotion and employment generation remain top of the agenda, JUNE 2015
Naidu was acutely aware of the palliative measures that needed to be taken to make the lives of the poor less harsh. Even as the exchequer is near empty, the Chief Minister had to fulfill his election promise of loan waiver to farm sector. After careful planning, the government set out to waive crop loans up to Rs 1.5 lakh per family and has disbursed Rs 5,000 crore in the first phase. For accounts of above Rs 50,000, the amount is being paid in five installments. The cash-strapped government did not go back either on hefty pay hike to its employees. The additional burden on the exchequer for a 43 percent fitment is around Rs 9,000 crore per annum. A five-fold hike in social security pension for people below the poverty line was another welfare measure implemented by the CM. The hike in social security pension from Rs 200 to Rs 1,000 per head per month is expected to cost the state nearly Rs 5,000 crore.
Focused on the Eye of the Fish Even while juggling the precarious
financial situation, the Chief Minister has been firmly focused on short-term as well as long-term goals. He is leaving no stone unturned to reach his mission to secure Rs. 2 lakh crore investment and create 10 lakh jobs by 2020. The new State could quickly overcome power shortage, a land bank is being created, water would not be a problem, skill development is being taken up and people are peace-loving, the Chief Minister keeps on telling investors. “In spite of being administered from Hyderabad, AP has recorded a growth rate of 8.4 per cent (while India’s is 7.4 per cent) and we are confident of reaching double figures soon and also record sustainable development in the next three or four decades,” he said.
Workaholic!
Naidu is known to be a workaholic. But his punishing schedules can be initmidating even to the most hardworking officers. Not only does the CM not take holidays, he is rarely seen at his own family functions. There are days when he wakes up in Hyderabad,
WHEN HUD HUD STRUCK...
w
JUNE 2015
hen one of the worst ever cyclones to hit east coast ravaged the port city of Visakhapatnam, naidu showed his true mettle as a leader. He shifted his base from Hyderabad, the joint capital of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, to Visakhapatnam after the cyclone made landfall on october 12. And stayed put in a bus which was parked outside the collectorate overseeing rescue and relief operations, till the city was brought back to normalcy. The technology savvy cM’s use of social media in mitigating the disaster impact was acknowledged in a facebook study which said Andhra Pradesh government has set one of the best examples to manage disaster responses through the facebook Page.
ANDHRAPRADESHMAGAZINE.COM
Cover Story
“You have a very persuasive CM. He will not rest till he gets what he wants,” Singapore Minister for Trade and Industry S Iswaran said, appreciating Naidu’s determined efforts to lure Singapore into investing in AP.
criss-crosses Andhra Pradesh’s farflung districts, attends an official function in Delhi, and is back in Hyderabad the same night. After a lot of badgering by family and close associates, Naidu decided to set Sunday evenings aside for family, but even this is known to be observed more in breach. While his fans within and outside the party and government wanted to wish Chandrababu Naidu on his 65th birthday recently, he was away, visiting drought-prone Anantapur in the scorching sun! The people of the state are immensely beholden to Chandrababu Naidu for being at the helm at this critical juncture, as he single-handedly rescued the state from oblivion and despair to instill a sense of hope and confidence. Politically, he is stronger than ever with full command in the state, and enjoys enormous goodwill at the Centre, where his party is part of the coalition government. Even as the first Government in the new Andhra Pradesh completes its eventful first year, the state and its people are all set to make a leap of faith under the transformational leadership of Chandrababu Naidu. And realize their dream of Sunrise Andhra Pradesh.
- Ramesh Kandula v
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State Gets Industrial Push Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, who is pitching AP as ‘Sunrise State’, has come up with an investment-friendly industrial policy aiming to attract Rs 12.5 lakh crore in the next 15 years.
I
t was Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, who in his earlier stint as the CM, swung the predominantly agrarian economy of Andhra Pradesh to a state with substantial industrial contribution. During the period 1993-94 to 200304, industrial contribution rose substantially in AP by 1.74 %. However, subsequently from 2003-04 to 201314, the state could not consolidate the gains made earlier and in fact lost momentum despite the golden opportunity presented by a vibrant economy and buoyant revenues. As a result the industry sector in the state decelerated and its share fell from 24.33% to 20.62%. Acutely aware of the importance of industry as an engine to propel growth and provide employment, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu is presently making a concerted effort to make the residuary state of Andhra Pradesh investor friendly.
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Towards this end, the Andhra Pradesh government has set an ambitious target of attracting investments worth Rs 12.5 lakh crore in the next 15 years. As part of this, it has unveiled the 'Industry Mission 2015-20'. Launching the mission along with the new single-desk clearance portal in Visakhapatnam recently, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu termed AP to be the best investment destination in the country. "The share of industrial sector output in the state GDP at present is about 21 per cent. We are targeting to increase this to 30 per cent by 2029," the Chief Minister said, adding the state was looking at attracting investment worth Rs 2 lakh crore in the next five years and create one million jobs during the period. "Last fiscal, the country's GDP grew 7.4 per cent while AP had achieved a growth rate of 8.4 per cent. Our target ANDHRAPRADESHMAGAZINE.COM
is to attain a sustainable double-digit growth starting this year," he said. Assuring industrialists of all facilities like land, water, power and infrastructure, the CM listed out many initiatives, including acquiring one million acres for setting up industries, besides ensuring availability of water and power. Given that recent surveys estimate India’s growth rate will surpass global superpowers like the United States, the Industry Mission of Andhra Pradesh will contribute to ‘Make in India’ initiative which will give a major thrust to the national as well as state’s economy. Industrial development policy aims to increase the contribution of manufacturing in GSDP from 9.95% in 201314 to 15% by 2020, the Chief Minister said, adding further that it aims to increase the contribution of industries to GSDP from 20.7% in 2013-14 to JUNE 2015
25% by 2020. The efforts of State Government have not gone unnoticed by the industry. “The situation is not the same anymore. The Andhra Pradesh government is pushing and Chandrababu Naidu is a good salesman,” said Rafeeque Ahmed, chairman, Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Tamil Nadu. Japanese truck maker Isuzu, which had initially considered Chennai for a factory, recently invested $3,000 crore in Sri City. “The world is bullish about India and Andhra Pradesh in particular,” he said addressing a galaxy of industrialists from across the world, who came to attend the function and participate in an interactive session with him. The state is set to emerge very strong individually in the coming years as an industry-friendly policy has been formulated, which will be implemented in the right earnest, the Chief Minister said. Expressing confidence over his Double Digit Growth agenda, the CM said, “Double digit growth is a realistic and achievable target for both the country and the State.” He said the State was rich in minerals and had a good working climate. “Visakhapatnam in particular is the major port city in the State and suitable for investment in all sectors. It will emerge as the economic capital of the state,” he said.
UAE, Canada, etc, attracting total investment worth Rs 35,745 crore during the event. These MoUs include investments in sectors such as petrochemicals, infrastructure, electronics, manufacturing, food processing, textile, automobiles, and others, thereby generating 72,210 new jobs in the state. As part of the MoUs signed, 48 units will be set up in the state, spanning across various districts. Among these, one company will set up three units. Among the units, 17 will come up in Chittoor district, six each in Kurnool and East Godavari, three in West Godavari, two each in Nellore, Kadapa, Anantapur, Visakhapatnam, Guntur and Krishna and one in Prakasam district.
HP to set up refinery
Among the MoUs signed was that also
with Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL), for investing nearly Rs 17,000 crore in setting up a 9 mmtpa refinery at its existing facility at Malkapuram in Vizag that currently has an 8.3 mmpta capacity refinery. HPCL director (refineries) BK Namdeo said the new facility would be used for producing motor spirits and diesel and that environment friendly technology will be used by HPCL to develop the refinery. He said the project will be completed within 42 months from the time environment clearance is issued by the Centre.
Auto Policy Unveiled
Naidu also unveiled the AP automobile and auto components policy, aiming for Rs 20,000 crore investments, as well as the biotechnology policy
AP among top states suitable for telecom, electronics manufacturing sector
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ndhra Pradesh ranks among the top states in the country suitable for telecom and electronics manufacturing industries, according to national president of Indian Cellular Association (ICA) Pankaj Mohindroo. At a time when India is looking to achieve production of 500 million mobile handsets by 2019, Mohindroo said AP has the potential to garner 2530% of the market share in the telecom and electronics manufacturing
Land Allotment to Companies
On the occasion, the Chief Minister also handed over letters of allotment of land to four companies: Asian Paints for setting up a manufacturing unit in Visakhapatnam district with an investment of Rs. 1,300 crore; ONGC for laying a gas pipeline near Kakinada with an investment of Rs. 355 crore; Kribhco for setting up a fertiliser unit in Nellore district with an investment of Rs. 630 crore; and Kurlon for setting up a mattress unit in Chittoor district with an investment of Rs. 70 crore.
MoUs worth 35,745 Cr Signed
The State Government also signed 46 MoUs with 46 companies from India as well as from countries like Japan, JUNE 2015
sector if it takes the right steps to attract investments into the state. Participating in a panel discussion organised by the state government during the launch of the Industry Mission in Visakhapatnam, Mohindroo said that India is aiming to create an annual mobile handsets manufacturing output of 1.5 lakh crore to 3 lakh crore in the next five years, which can create nearly 15 lakh jobs. As per a recent study to rank states on their competitiveness to promote manufacturing in the Electronic System Design Manufacturing sector based on 43 parameters, he said that AP was on top along with states such as Gujarat. ANDHRAPRADESHMAGAZINE.COM
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and textile policy gunning for investments worth Rs 6,000 crore each. As per the policy, the auto component companies will receive various incentives and concessions from the state government for promoting automotive manufacturing in Andhra Pradesh.
Isuzu makes use of new Auto Policy
Isuzu Motors India Pvt Ltd, a subsidiary of Isuzu Motors, Japan, which is setting up its manufacturing plant at Sri City, signed an MoU with the
state government to facilitate investment by its suppliers under the state's Automobile and Auto Component policy 2015-20. Takashi Kikuchi, managing director, Isuzu Motors India, inked the MoU with state government in the presence of Chief Minister Naidu. Seven auto component companies nominated by Isuzu Motors India also inked MoUs with the state government. Kikuchi said, “The Sri City-located facility would likely commence commercial operations by early 2016, with the initial production capacity at an annual
State to give Sri City governance powers
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ndhra Pradesh is planning to experiment with a new model by granting privately held industrial park, Sri City, powers of local governance in a bid to localize decision-making. The state government will depute bureaucrats to the multi-product zone, and authorize
them to give permissions to companies interested in setting up a base in Sri City, which houses a special economic zone, a free trade and warehousing zone, and a domestic tariff zone spread across 7,600 acres. The Andhra Pradesh government will grant Sri City “industrial area local authority status,” Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu said. “We plan to do this so they (companies) don’t need to come to Hyderabad for small permissions,” Naidu said after meeting business executives
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of companies operating in Sri City, located 600km from the state capital in the southernmost corner of Andhra Pradesh. Although it is located closer to Chennai (at a distance of 55km), companies planning to open a unit there have to travel to state capital Hyderabad for approvals. Executives of companies operating out of Sri City brought this issue to Naidu’s notice. “Industrial area local authority (IALA) is like a cantonment board,” said V. Srinivas Chary, director at Hyderabadbased Administrative Staff College of India, according to business daily The Mint. Such an authority gives entities municipal-like powers to collect property taxes, develop facilities and charge people for using those facilities, said Chary, who specializes in urban governance and institutional reforms. These entities, however, will have to share a portion of their revenues with the government, Chary noted. “There is a positive vested interest to develop good roads and provide good facilities to have good companies (to invest),” he observed. The model, if successful, will be replicated in other parts of the state, said Naidu, who is trying to attract investments from industries into Andhra Pradesh. ANDHRAPRADESHMAGAZINE.COM
Policy Targets a Increase
the contribution of manufacturing to GSDP from 9.95%(2013-14)to 15% by 2020 a Increase the contribution of industries to GSDP from 20.7% (2013-14)to 25% by 2020 a Attract investment to the tune of Rs 2 lakh crore by the end of 2020 a Create employment opportunities for an additional 10 lakh people by the end of 2020 50,000 units. This would be scaled up to 120,000 units a year, with the accumulated investment of Rs 3,000 crore, and was expected to generate around 3,000 jobs.”
Japanese interest in Capital
After the launch of the AP government’s Industry Mission in Visakhapatnam, the CM headed to New Delhi for a bilateral meeting with Yoichi Miyazawa, Minister for Economic Trade and Industry, Japan. During the meeting, Miyazawa informed the Chief Minister that the Japanese ministry had conducted a preliminary study on Andhra Pradesh and identified certain areas of collaboration in the State, including capital city construction.
Investments flowing in
Due to the efforts of the Government during this one year, the State has been able to secure more than one lakh crore worth investments. While investments worth Rs 82,708 cr by large industries, creating a job potential for 4,24,408, were grounded, another Rs 19,000 cr was invested by MSME sector, creating 12,08,642 jobs after this Government took over. The State Investment Promotion Board approved 8 mega investment proposals with a total investment of Rs 25,286 cr. If the aggressive policies adopted by the State Government are anything to go by, it would be safe to say that the target of attracting Rs 2 lakh crore investments by 2020 would be easily crossed. v
JUNE 2015
A RIVER CALLING Photo: Srinivasa Reddy
G
odavari Pushkaram, a festival of River Godavari, which occurs once in 12 years, is all set be celebrated with great devotional fervour in Andhra Pradesh in the month of July. Incidentally, the last Pushkaram, which saw unprecedented attendance by devotees across the state and the country, was held under the same government in 2003. The State Government is spending an estimated amount of Rs 1,470 crore for various works to serve the people
JUNE 2015
who arrive in millions to the mega event in West and East Godavari districts. To commemorate the event, Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu released a logo for Godavari Maha Pushkarams. The logo reflected the river in flow and a devotee offering prayers, depicting the relationship between the river and people, Dr Parakala Prabhakar, Communications Advisor, said. The Chief Minister would be personally writing to the President, Prime Minister and Chief Ministers of all States inviting them to come and take a dip in the Godavari River during the auspicious period. State government is in talks with Discovery and National Geographic channels to make a documentary on Godavari Maha Pushkarams, capturing the spiritual and cultural celebrations associated with the mega event. The proposed docuANDHRAPRADESHMAGAZINE.COM
mentary on the event seeks to capture the spiritual significance and the cultural celebrations and the way lives of people are entwined with the river for their well being. An estimated 3.5 crore people from across the country and abroad are expected to be there for a dip in the river waters during the auspicious period from July 14 to 25. Government believes the occasion will also be the time to showcase the culture, art forms- folk, classical and traditional music and dance forms of the State. Also on offer during the event will be the cuisine of 13 districts and diverse varieties of flowers. For the first time, ‘Godavari Shobha Yatra’ would be promoted as an annual event on the lines of Ganges. Construction of 241 ghats out of the 264 proposed has been completed while building roads, power supply works and other preparations are underway. v
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konASEEMA to be Tourism Hub Having set a target of attracting private investments to the tune of Rs.10,000 crore in tourism sector over the next five years, the Andhra Pradesh Government is poised to transform the sylvan surroundings of Godavari region into a tourism hub for beckoning international tourists.
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he idyllic Konaseema in Godavari districts is an oasis of enchanting beauty, peace and tranquility that has captured the imagination of Telugu writers, poets, playwrights and performers for long. Its magnificent landscape, artistic temples, lavish greenery, lustrous coconut grooves and fields have been staple settings for many a Telugu film. Surrounded by other beautiful locales like Papi Kondalu (Papikondalu), Kolleru Lake, Maredumilli Forest (Papikonda Wildlife Sanctuary), Mangrove (Mada) Forest (Coringa Wildlife Sanctuary), Konaseema region has great potential to be sought-after tourist destination. While it is a popular spot for picnics within the state, the beautiful locale has not been promoted for national and international tourists in the past. However, the Andhra Pradesh
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Tourism Department, shifting its focus towards attracting the international tourists, has taken the Kakinada-Hope Island-Konaseema tourism circuit project as its maiden venture in the new mission. Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, who has drawn plans to make Kakinada a potential Tourism hub, laid the foundation stone for Rs 70 crore tourism project, linking the Kakinada beach, Hope Island and the Konaseema area. Though the funds earmarked by the government for the tourism circuit project are Rs. 70 crore, the department is planning to make it a Rs. 300 crore project, by inviting bids from the private players under the Public Private Partnership mode. The Tourism Department is going to invite international bidders for preparing a Detailed Project Report ANDHRAPRADESHMAGAZINE.COM
(DPR) for the project being funded by the Union government under the ‘Swadeshi Darshan’ scheme. “Our aim is to involve consultants of international repute in the making of the DPR. As they knew the taste of international tourists, the outcome will certainly be attracting the foreigners,” says Neerabh Kumar Prasad, Principal Secretary (tourism and culture) to the State government. However, this will be possible only when international tourists turn up in large numbers, which is not the case with AP at present. “In 2013, AP stood third in the domestic tourism sector. When it comes to international tourism, it is in the 19th place at the national level. The statistics clearly indicate that there is a lot to do here to attract the international tourists,” Neerabh Kumar Prasad points out. JUNE 2015
New Tourism Policy
Despite some issues, Andhra Pradesh has the distinction of being a leading tourism destination in India and is presently, the third most visited State in terms of domestic tourism. In 2013, 152.1 million domestic tourists visited Andhra Pradesh, which was about 13.3% of the total domestic tourism market. “The intrinsic potential of developing Tourism Infrastructure Projects and Services in Andhra Pradesh, when leveraged effectively and creatively, would make the State highly competitive and possibly, unmatched across other domestic and international destinations,” the new Tourism Policy says. Under the new policy, the State Government has set a target of attracting private investments to the tune of Rs 10,000 crore in tourism sector over the next five years, beginning with at least Rs 1,000 crore during 2015-16, besides targeting to generate 5 lakh jobs. The policy envis-
ages contribution of seven per cent to GSDP by 2020, allotment of land on lease for 33 years and slew of incentives to promote PPP mode investments. Under the new policy, unlike in the past when some of the major infrastructure projects in tourism sector used to be funded through AP Tourism Development Corporation (APTDC) or Government of India, the State government would act more like a facilitator and promote private investment in a big way. The policy promotes ease of doing business and the government is offering various incentives, including VAT related. The State’s Tourism Department has already identified Rs 18,000 crore worth of projects which include development of beach resorts along Vizag-Bheemili corridor, riverside resorts in the backwaters of the picturesque Konaseema, a ropeway project in each of the 13 districts, cruise/ small boat services and setting up of modern convention centres in each district.
VIZAG to have AKSHARDHAM temple
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he Akshardham temple, known for its grandeur and marvelous architecture, is likely to come up near Vizag. The Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS), in association with Government of Andhra Pradesh, is keen on setting up the project on the outskirts of the Port City. According to Vizag district collector Dr N Yuvaraj, “The Swaminarayan Trust that has set up the Akshardham temples in Delhi and Gujarat has shown interest in building a similar temple in Vizag near Simhachalam temple. We are now trying to identify a suitable site somewhere JUNE 2015
near Simhachalam”. Botanical Garden Meanwhile, the state's first botanical garden has been mooted at Tajingi near Lambasingi in Chintapalli mandal, apart from ropeway projects at Araku, Paderu and Rushikonda Hills. "The proposed botanical garden project may require 500-1,000 acres of land. The state HRD minister and principal secretary of tourism are quite keen on it and have asked us to work out the details of the project," a Vizag district tourism information official said. ANDHRAPRADESHMAGAZINE.COM
Tourism Policy targets a To
be the most preferred State in India for domestic tourist arrivals and among top 12 states for international tourist arrivals a To facilitate investments in the tourism sector to the tune of Rs 10,000 crore and contribute 7% to the State GDP by 2020 a To facilitate creation of 5 lakh additional jobs in the tourism sector Experts feel that though the State has a long coastline with natural surroundings, the tourism potential is not tapped fully for want of facilities like scuba diving, parasailing, snorkelling, canoeing, wild and kite surfing. However, the Government is planning several mega projects in Vizag alone including Sentosa-type theme park, science and entertainment city at Thotlakonda, Vizag Eye on the lines of iconic London Eye, international convention centre at Rushikonda, Arogyadham – an ayurveda village with wellness centres at Madhurawada and Wonders of World at Yendada with miniatures of world’s iconic structures to make Vizag a world-class destination. Other projects across the state include amusement parks, hotels, water sports, light and sound shows, development of heritage sites, pilgrim centres and Buddhist circuit.
Tourism University
The State Government also plans to establish a Tourism University with international technical collaboration. This is projected to give a fillip to Sunrise Andhra Pradesh and position it as a Tourism education hub in India.
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AP TO EMERGE AS
PREFERRED PORT OF CALL
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The Chandrababu Naidu Government has envisaged a port-led development for the State to help accelerate industrial growth.
he geographical advantages of Andhra Pradesh lend themselves beautifully for a Port-led development of the state, and no one understands this better than Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu. No wonder, he has been making every effort to make Andhra Pradesh the most preferred logistics hub and India’s gateway to East and South East Asia by 2029. The Chief Minister is widely credited with developing Hyderabad as an international city after 1995 by making it as an IT hub during his stint as Chief Minister from 1995-2004. He is now on a mission to make logistics the key driver to transform Andhra Pradesh as the most developed State. Naidu has his homework done thoroughly. He saw what Singapore has done in this regard. The island nation
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has always been a strong performer in the global logistics industry, and transportation and logistics sector contributed between 7 to 9 percent to Singapore GDP in the last decade. As of today, the industry employs 2,05,000 people and contributes 12.3 percent of total employment in the country. Today, Singapore has the world’s busiest transhipment hub, handling 32.6 million TEUs of containers in 2013 and has been ranked the world's busiest port in terms of shipping tonnage. Given its natural advantages, AP can dig into this resource and build a competitive logistics hub. As a United Nations Public Administration Network (UNPAN) study pointed out, “Andhra Pradesh’s central location within India, its strong transportation links with other parts of the country ANDHRAPRADESHMAGAZINE.COM
and the access it provides into India make it a suitable location for a distribution and logistics hub”. Andhra Pradesh has the second longest coastline in India, covering a length of over 974 km stretching between Srikakulam and Nellore with deep draft coastal waters. A network of 14 notified non-major ports and one major port provides strong potential for the State to become India's gateway to the world, especially the Asian and South East Asian region. Andhra Pradesh has the unique advantage of having three deep draft ports – Visakhapatnam, Gangavaram and Krishnapatnam that is a critical enabler for attracting bulk cargo from East and South East Asian economies. To reap the potential benefits and position of Andhra Pradesh as India's JUNE 2015
Gateway to the World, the Government is integrating the development of ports, industrial clusters and, hinterland and efficient evacuation systems through road, rail, inland and coastal waterways under the Sagarmala Project of the Government of India. The project is aimed at making ports as the drivers of economic activity in coastal areas. The first phase of the project includes development of stretch comprising Visakhapatnam Kakinada –Gangavaram – Krishnapatnam. The Government has also encouraged private participation for port development. Currently there are six ports in the State that are operational and several others under various stages of development.
Cargo Movement
In 2013-14, the ports in Andhra Pradesh handled over 12.25% (117MT) of the total cargo moved through sea in India. Vishakhapatnam Port accounted for 59 MT, while the non-major ports accounted for over 58.94 MT of the total cargo movement. Andhra Pradesh is the second largest handler of cargo through non major ports in the country and Vishakhapatnam Port is the fourth largest major port in the country in terms of cargo handled. The current capacity of the operational ports in the state is over 180 MT with traffic of around 120 MT. The state government has its task cut
out for providing thrust to the sector. Visakhapatnam-Chennai and ChennaiBengaluru Industrial Corridors would provide better connectivity for faster evacuation of cargo. A parallel beach road from Ichhapuram to Tada, Sagar Mala first phase covering Visakhapatnam to Kakinada, constitution of AP Maritime Board and promoting Brand Andhra Pradesh by encouraging second generation infrastructure firms like GVK and GMR would remain on top of agenda, the Chief Minister disclosed. The Chandrababu Naidu government
has targeted that by 2023: w Ports to handle cargo throughput of over 1000 MT a year w 16 ports to be operational (6 currently operational, 7 under development, 3 identified) w Andhra Pradesh to develop into a hub for ship building and repairs Endowed with a strong industrial base, coupled with natural endowments of mineral reserves the potential for a port led development is certain. As the UNPAN study pointed out, “The Andhra Pradesh logistics and distribution hub is a logical extension of the overall infrastructure initiative and a tangible way for the State to jump-start trade. It will also play a vital part in the success of many growth engines”. With a determined and committed Chief Minister at the helm, it will not be too long before AP becomes the most preferred port of call for the East and South East Asia.
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By choosing the ancient name for the new capital of AP, chandrababu naidu displayed his sagacity as the true leader of all Telugus.
Dhyana Buddha at Amaravati, Guntur district Photo Courtesy: Sai Kiran
ageless amaravati
Amaravati. A name steeped in history. A name that conjures up the most glorious phase in the history of India, and of Telugus. Sai Papineni takes you on an exciting journey through time, to the beginnings, to the first stirrings of the historical process...
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new capital needs a new name. A name that galvanizes the hopes and aspirations of the people. A name that gives its every citizen, from the farthest corners of the state, a sense of ownership. A name that upholds the cultural ancestry and a name that is grand. It is no mean task to find one; however, we are fortunate to have one such name which is steeped in our history. A name so completely interwoven into the cultural ethos of the state, that brings out the memories of a glorious past. A name that has taught half the world what civilization really means.
The name is Amaravati
The name conjures up the most glorious phase in the history of India when both material and cultural prosperity was at its peak. It was the capital of an empire, which was matched in extent only by the Romans, but unmatched in its prosperity. Unlike Rome where the fruits of labor were enjoyed only by a few, here the common man – farmer, shepherd, artisan and the humble trader – reaped the benefits. They had built monuments unsurpassed in size and beauty and recorded their lives in plastic art and literature, for posterity. They had set new trends in fashion and lifestyle, patronized popular and plebian faiths, even invented new gods and rituals.
Who were they?
They were none other than our own forefathers, men and women of diverse faiths and professions and backgrounds, who together called themselves Andhras, and Amaravati was their capital. It was not only the administrative center but the very cradle of their civilization. From the point of view of a historian, the earliJUNE 2015
est signs of the Iron Age in South India, the mainstay of civilization could be traced to this place. ‘The common village folk who worship serpents and trees, even today, were the people who had carried on their shoulders the ways and means of the Iron Age civilization to the rest of peninsular India,’ they say. It’s a short journey through time, to the beginnings, where history began to take shape…
The Beginnings – 500 BCE
Archaeologists have found the characteristic polished black pottery of the Ganges region (NBP) at the deepest levels of Amaravati. This confirms the cultural links between Amaravati and the early historic civilization of the Indo Gangetic Plains. Today, a short distance from the river is a village called Vaḍḍamānu. The earliest structures in the shape of a small stupa of the Jains were found here by archaeologists. The name Vaḍḍamānu is a giveaway. With the coming of the Iron plough, the lower Krishna basin became a rice bowl. The place took a new name – Vaḍla Mānu – ‘Rice Stockpile’ (One may find its roots still hidden in words like Vaḍlu, Mānige, Māḷige, Maṇugu, Mānyam etc.). Amaravati became a magnet that attracted people from the neighboring countryside and far afield. Population grew. With the arrival of people from different places, many new cultures – a combination of languages, faiths and merchandise – were added to the vibrant mixture. In due course, Vaḍlamānu was Sanskritized to Dhānyakaṭakam. Tibetan Buddhist records allude to these beginnings. ANDHRAPRADESHMAGAZINE.COM
The people of Amaravati were variously called as Nagas, Andhakas and Andhras in literature. By the Puranac age the name Andhras stuck, and the capital Amaravati became Andhranagari, the City of Andhras. Even as early as the times of Mahavira and Buddha, the city had been an important destination. A medieval Jain text called Avaśyaka Sūtra mentions that Vardhamāna Mahavira, the last Ford Maker of the Jainas visited the Krishna valley. Buddhist tradition alludes to a visit of Gautama Buddha at Amaravati. These mentions push the antiquity of Amaravati all the way to the 6th Century BCE and also place Amaravati at the focal point of civilization in South India. By the times of Asoka, Amaravati was a burgeoning town. The famous Mahāchaitya of Amaravati was made a little more grandiose. But the true magnificence had to wait until the rise of the AndhraŚatavāhana kings.
Splendor – 230 BCE to 225 CE
Purāṇās say that Andhra kings ruled Magadha for 450 years. It was an allusion to the Śatavāhana Empire being the most dominant power in India during that period. The Śatavāhanas ruled from many cities as the then political circumstances dictated. But their capital – administrative, economic and spiritual – had always been Amaravati, variously called Śridhānya, Siritana, Dhanakaḍa, Thanakacheka and Dhānyakataka. This profusion of different names in literature and epigraphy only confirms the diversity of the people and the cultures that that city had hosted. In the words of Gautami Bālasri, mother of Śātakarni, the greatest of the Śātavahana rulers, the empire had extended way beyond the present
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Today, at last we shall have a new capital to call our own. It is laudable that the cabinet of the Government of Andhra Pradesh has decided to name it Amaravati, deservingly so. Now is the right time for us to make a united effort to bring back our heritage to its rightful home. Telugu speaking region and South India. No wonder, people of different languages and cultures lived in harmony in this truly cosmopolitan city. An abundance of Roman coins were found at Amaravati – more than 7000 in silver and gold. Smaller hoards were found spread across the length and breadth of the Telugu speaking region, proving the part played by Andhra entrepreneurs in Roman trade that had Dhānyakatakaas its principal entrėpot. There is more to it, mercantile kingdoms promoted by the Andhra kings flourished beyond the seas, in Myanmar, the Malaysian Peninsula, Indonesia and Indo China. Old names of these kingdoms are Trilinga (Myanmar), Kaḷinga (Thailand), Andhara (Palembang in Java) and the most astounding of all, Amaravati for Vietnam and Laos. All the provincial capitals of this ‘Indo Chinese Amaravati’ were named after the ancient cities of the Krishna valley, viz. Kuddura, Pandara and Vijaya. These names and the cultural remnants of art and sculpture establish beyond doubt the enriching influence of the Andhras on South East Asia. Wealth from all these lands contributed to making Amaravati one of
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the most prosperous cities of the world then. To visualize the splendor of that metropolis, one must stand still on the banks of the Krishna, the life blood of the Telugu people, close ones eyes and listen to her… from her dark depths the images of our past will manifest themselves. Amaravati and its environs will come alive. Archaeological finds, literary allusions and representations of the city and its life in plastic art can only confirm those images. The city stretched on the right bank for five Chinese li, that is around twelve kilometers by today’s reckoning. Buildings two to three floors high crowded the waterfront. A citadel with high walls stood at the far west. It was surrounded by orchards and a moat fed by the river. The king lived there. The administrative offices of various Nigamās and Gōṣtis were located on a straight north-south road called Mahāpatham. The road had led to Samprati Vihāra, a Jaina suburb, and probably beyond to the cantonments of standing armies. Another north-south road called Tōraṇamāggamran parallel. It was the main commercial street lined by shops, leading from the docks. The main dock was an engineering marvel – a deep channel was cut into the eastern side of the citadel lined with ANDHRAPRADESHMAGAZINE.COM
brick and stone to facilitate the entry of large ocean going vessels. We need not be surprised if Roman Triremes and Chinese Junks had made regular calls at this port. Greeks, Romans and Persians from the west and Chinese, Polynesians and Melanesians from across the eastern sea thronged the market street. Andhra craftsmen produced works of art in wood, metal and stone that adorned the stalls of Amaravati. Raw silk imported from China was turned into drapes that embellished Roman homes. Exquisite muslins and Kalaṃkāri prints produced by Andhra weavers became a drain on Rome’s exchequer. These artisans and merchants became members of quasi legislative bodies called Nigama Sabhās and Gōṣtis that administered the city and contributed greatly to skills development and education. Lateral roads headed off from the main street into gated townships of these guilds of artisans. Residential homes were surrounded by compounds – many had gardens with walls or fences built around them. Affluent houses were built of bricks and stone, while the smaller ones in wattle and daub. Many houses were attached to workshops – of ironsmiths, potters, carpenters, weavers etc.. Based on the find locations of tools, furnaces and material remains at Amaravati, Dhūlikatta, Sātānikōta, JUNE 2015
Nāgārjunikonda and other such contemporary sites, archaeologists concluded that different craftsmen lived in close communities – the germ of caste based society may be
seen here. These diverse people stood by different faiths that coexisted. The official religion of the kings was BhāgavataPuranic, an early form of Hinduism. Inscriptions of Śātavahana queens began with a praise of Vāsudēva and Saṃkarṣana. The earliest pictorial representations of Ganapati and Lakshmi were found in Amaravati art. Archaeologists found a layer of Jaina substratum at Vaḍḍamānu. But the most dominant faith of the times was Mahāyāna Buddhism. The city was flanked by two of the greatest centers of monastic learning – Pūrvaśaila and Avaraśaila ārāmas. They were home to some of the celebrated teachers who spread the word to the farthest corners of the world including China. Mahāyāna became the most popular creed across the Telugu speaking region leaving an indelible impression on its language and culture. The Mahāchaitya of Amaravati became the focal landmark of the Andhras, praised and revered for a thousand years. The spiritual legacy of those times still remains very much a part of the latter day Hinduism of Adi Śankara.
Legacy – 300 CE to Today
After 450 years of Śātavahana rule the empire disintegrated. In the west, the Roman Empire declined. Trade ceased. Urban occupations became less rewarding. But Dhānyakataka continued to be the symbol of prosperity, coveted by kings. Political power moved away from Amaravati to the peripheries of the Telugu region. Pallavas of Dhānyakataka moved their capitals to Kanchi and Hemāvati, beyond the boundaries of present day Andhra. In the east, Vāsistiputra Śivaśakti of Māṭarās moved his capital to the border of Odisha. Konḍa Chuḷukis of Nāgārjunikonḍa rose to power in Western Deccan as JUNE 2015
Chaḷukyas with their capital at Bādāmi. The Telugu country had split into smaller political units. For an eternity, Telugu people never had a capital city to call their own, except for half a century when the Andhras were united under the Kākatīyas (with their principal feudatories, Kōta kings ruling from Dharaṇikōta). Yet the spiritual legacy of Amaravati was kept alive. As late as the 14th Century, pilgrim monks from as far as Sri Lanka visited at the Mahāchaitya of Amaravati. Some kings also contributed to its upkeep. But by then Buddhism in India was on certain decline. With the rise of Shaivism, Amaravati became Amarārāmam, the abode of Amareśwara an image of Siva. The original temple built by Chāḷukya Bhīma was later renewed by the Reddy kings of Konḍavīdu. But by the 18th century the glory of Amaravati was almost forgotten. An insignificant event in 1796 brought Amaravati back into focus. With the establishment of the East India Company rule, a local zamindar, Rājah Vāsireddy Venkatādri Naidu moved his base to this village. It was he who had discovered the ruins of the Mahāchaitya under a large earthen mound called Dīpāladinne.
The discovery led to dismembering
Antiquarians, civil servants and the so ANDHRAPRADESHMAGAZINE.COM
called archaeologists began unearthing the artistic masterpieces of Amaravati. As historians started piecing together the ancient glory of the Andhras, the remnants of their past were moved away to the power centers of the then British Raj. As Andhras for a thousand or more years had no capital city of their own, their cultural heritage moved to Madras and London. Even during the heyday of the British Raj, right thinking men like Henry Cole Jr, the then Conservator of Ancient Monuments in the 1880s, advocated against moving the Amaravati sculptures away from home. His cries to preserve the local heritage in situ fell on deaf ears. Today, at last we shall have a new capital to call our own. It is laudable that the cabinet of the Government of Andhra Pradesh has decided to name it Amaravati, deservingly so. Now is the right time for us to make a united effort to bring back our heritage to its rightful home. Sai Papineni is a passionate and serious researcher of Telugu history and culture. His debut historical novel “Andhra Nagari” depicts the glorious era of Telugus with Amaravati as capital in the 3rd Century B.C.E.
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AMARAVATI
A PEOPLE’S CAPITAL IN THE MAKING
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History is reinventing its glorious past in Andhra Pradesh. By naming the new capital of Andhra Pradesh after the historical city of Satavahana dynasty in second century A.D., Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu inspired every Telugu living across the world to not only relive the legacy of a bygone era but also build a golden future for generations to come.
t is a masterstroke in branding as Naidu sets out to build a worldclass city in the historically important region between Vijayawada and Guntur, the central point of the newly carved state of Andhra Pradesh. The decision to name the new capital of Andhra Pradesh as “Amaravati” was widely welcomed by Telugus across the world. As soon as the announcement was made, netizens took to social media to hail the decision. The word “Amaravati” started trending on Facebook and Twitter, and other websites, as Twiterrati described the name as the “best among the available options” apart from mentioning its advantages, such as ‘Amaravati, AP Capital’ alphabetically being the first. “Amaravathi to Bring a Wave of Nostalgia and Hope Among Andhraites,” the New Indian Express
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greeted the announcement. “Two millennia later, Amaravathi becomes Andhra capital once again,” said The Hindu Businessline. “The long-lost historical essence of the place will relive with the name of the capital,” Vasudevan Iyer, Hyderabad branch director of real estate consulting firm Knight Frank India Pvt. Ltd was quoted by financial daily The Mint. Amaravati has a 2,000-year-old history and was recently declared a Unesco Heritage Town. Having a Buddhist stupa and a school of art named after Buddha, Amaravati is among the 12 towns in India with a heritage tag. For this reason, the name Amaravati is being seen as apt which would draw attention of the people worldwide. Besides, the historic name will be embraced by all Telugus, whether they are in Andhra, Telangana, elsewhere in India, or abroad. ANDHRAPRADESHMAGAZINE.COM
The Chief Minister, however, is not one to rest on the splendours of the past, as he meticulously set out to create a people’s capital that, while resonating with the ancient religious, spiritual and secular symbolism, is a bustling centre of truly modern and contemporary metropolis on a fast track of economic growth. The masterplan for the new capital city has alredy been drawn out by experts from Singapore Government, whose Minister for Trade and Industry S Eswaran personally handed over the blue print to the Chief Minister at Secretariat in Hyderabad on May 25. "It is a 'green' plan, because of its emphasis on public transportation and not merely private transportation. The second point I would make is, it's also a 'blue' plan. It's a blue plan because you are blessed with very rich water resources and the idea is to take advantage of that in JUNE 2015
DoeS AP neeD A WorlD-ClASS CAPitAl? Mischievous though feeble attempts at derailing the construction of a world-class capital for the state were made, but to no avail, as the people stood solidly behind the State Government’s determined efforts.
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few self-proclaimed experts and some political adversaries were critical of the ‘grandiose’ plans of the Chief Minister to build a world class capital for Andhra Pradesh. While some have problem with land pooling, others question the need to construct a capital city in around 30,000 acres. Both the objections are not only misleading, but are in fact, mischievous. Take land pooling. This is the first time in the history of the country, and probably in this part of the world, that farmers came forward voluntarily to the call of the government to be stakeholders in the development of their own capital city. The compensation package was so attractive, and the future benefits were so reassuring that an overwhelming majority of farmers of the capital region handed over the papers to the Capital Region Development Authority (CRDA) in less than two months. Governments have every right to acquire land under Land Acquisition Act for public purpose. And it was done so indiscriminately both within the state and across the country that the whole thing turned out to be contentious in many cases. In this backdrop, the initiative of AP Government to mobilize land through land pooling was not only novel but also proved to be mutually beneficial. As for building an administrative capital in an area anywhere between 500 to 2,000 acres, it should be said that such arguments are based neither on ground reality nor on any appreciation of historical context of capital building for the newly formed state. A capital city is not merely a few government buildings and some administrative offices. It cannot be just a place designated for file pushing amidst our surroundings. The capital is the political, economic, social and cultural exJUNE 2015
pression of an entire people. Not every day do people get an opportunity to build a capital that will define their identity and that will nurture and serve them for generations. The people of Andhra have had this historic opportunity at last. After having been deprived of a capital that they thought they were part of and having finally been dismembered into a headless state, Andhras now yearn for a capital city which they can call truly their own. It is as much an emotional and cultural issue, as it is a political and administrative one. It is indeed ridiculous to see that some vested interests, who took acres of land for offices of their party outfits, and those who built palatial residential houses in hectares of land, should argue that the capital of nearly 50 million Andhra people should be an insignificant block of concrete structures without a soul. Besides, it is a deliberate misinterpretation to say that the capital is being needlessly built in about 30,000 acres. The fact is that after the development of the infrastructure like roads, drains, parks, playground and other such common amenities and after handing over farmers’ share of the developed parcels, what remains for administrative, residential and recreational purpose is merely some 9,000 acres. Compare with this: Mumbai was spread across 1,49,000 acres, Delhi 3,66,000 acres, Chennai 1,05,000 acres, Benguluru 1,83,000 acres and Hyderabad 1,54, 441 acres. What we need is a capital throbbing with people, and with cultural, economic and administrative activity, and not some lifeless, anonymous edifices. As the CM rightly put it, “The aim is to build an ultra-modern, world-class city with historical significance that provides opportunities to all sections”.
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Our aim is to build an ultra-modern, world-class city which has historical and mythological significance, economic activity, social life, employment opportunities and is affordable for even the poorer sections.”
- Chandrababu Naidu
order to enhance amenities," Eswaran explained. The 7,420 square km Capital Region Plan is the first of a three-stage master plan for the Capital City. Surbana International Consultants and Jurong Consultants are the master planners for the project. Under the Memorandum of Understanding, a Capital Region Plan covering some 7,420 km² and a Capital City master plan covering 217 km² are being drawn up. The achievement of this milestone in the Andhra Pradesh-Singapore collaboration has been possible because of the personal rapport and respect that Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu commands with the Singapore Government. Iswaran said, “Singapore is pleased to complete and hand over to the Andhra Pradesh government the Capital Region Plan on schedule. It is testimony to the excellent bilateral working relationship between Andhra Pradesh and Singapore…” The Plan identifies the appropriate long-term economic positioning of the existing towns and cities within the capital region and the context, therefore, for the growth and development of the future Andhra Pradesh Capital
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City. It includes a regional socio-economic analysis and demographic study and recommends a set of strategies to enhance connectivity and undertake transit-oriented urban development while protecting agricultural zones and heritage areas. Besides the Singapore companies, the Japanese companies are ready to associate in construction, environment and other requirements of the city," the Chief Minister said. "It will be a deadly combination." “Our aim is to build an ultra-modern, world-class city which has historical and cultural significance, economic activity, social life, employment opportunities and is affordable for even the poorer sections,” Chandrababu Naidu said. The new capital city of Andhra Pradesh will be built by a global master developer based on the master plan prepared by the Singapore government. “After the master plan is prepared by the Singapore government, the next step is to select a master developer and complete first-phase of the capital city comprising administrative buildings, offices and residences for 20,000 employees before 2019,” Chief Minister disclosed. Naidu wants some of the buildings to ANDHRAPRADESHMAGAZINE.COM
be completed within a year of starting work. The Central government released Rs1,500 crore for the construction of the capital in the previous financial year and Naidu is aiming to get some more funds this year. Before starting construction work, the state government will send a Detail Project Report (DPR) to the Centre on the basis of the masterplan that will be submitted by the Singapore government. In the recent cabinet meeting, the State Government has decided to lay the foundation stone for the new capital on 6th of June. The Government has decided to select the master developer for the capital city through the Swiss Challenge method. The works, however, will acquire pace from Vijaya Dasami, the festival of victory. To showcase the capital construction for future generations, the Government has planned to video-document the entire process of building of the mega city over the months and years till completion. - Shruti Mathur v
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Betting Big on Renewable Energy
Andhra Pradesh currently boasts of uninterrupted power supply, but the State, keeping future energy security in view, has drawn big plans for Renewable Energy Projects to the tune of 9,180 MW by 2018-19.
rom power cuts throughout the year to power surplus, Andhra Pradesh has come a long way in a short period of one year after bifurcation. Being one of the three states in the country selected for implementation of Power for All (PFA) – flagship programme of the Government of India – AP is now focused on improving performance of power utilities and quality of power. The State, at the same time, is betting big on Renewable Energy projects for energy security in the future. It is estimated that the State has 38.5 GW solar power potential and 13,000 MW wind power potential. The State Government has come up with AP Solar Power Policy 2015 and AP Wind Power Policy 2015 with fiscal incentives for large scale promotion of projects. AP is the first State in the country that announced policy for promotion of Solar and Wind hybrid power projects. The policies have been widely appreciated and haqve become a model for other states. The Government has targeted to add 4150 MW capacity wind power projects, and 5030 MW capacity solar power projects by the year 2018-19. To facilitate the various clearances required for setting up of Solar Power and Wind Power Projects, NREDCAP has developed the Online Single Window Clearance Portal. The developers can avail the online facility right from the project registration until commissioning of the project. So far, 16 developers have signed MoUs for development of 4500 MW capacity Wind and Solar Power projects in the State. The State Government has planned to develop 2500 MW capacity Solar parks in the state and so far acquired more than 15,000 acres of land. AP has already handed over 1250 acres to NTPC to set up 250 MW capacity Solar Power project in the first phase. Once JUNE 2015
AP gets funding for green energy corridor
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the 2500 MW capacity is commissioned, it will become the largest solar park in the world. Andhra Pradesh has decided to provide Solar Pump sets to new agriculture connections in the State and install 6725 Solar Pump sets during the year 2015-16. Because of this one step, 403 Lakh units of conventional power per annum can be conserved and DISOMs will benefit towards power savings amounting to Rs 21.38 Crores per annum. One MW capacity Canal Top Solar Power project is also being set up by NREDCAP on Losari Canal, near Bhimavaram in West Godavari district. AP is the second state in the country, after Gujarat, implementing the Canal top Solar Power project. APGENCO is also implementing 5 MW Canal Bund based Solar power project near Bhimadole, West Godavari district. The State has also decided to promote the Solar Rooftop systems on large scale and it is targeted to add 50 MW capacity Solar rooftop systems in the next five years period. In view of the various measures being taken by the State Government, the Renewable Energy power capacity addition is expected to reach more than 15,000 MW by the year 2022. ANDHRAPRADESHMAGAZINE.COM
FW, the German lending agency, and the Centre have agreed to fund the green energy corridor planned by Andhra Pradesh with the objective of transforming the State into a renewable energy hub. According to the State Energy Conservation Mission, KFW is likely to sanction Rs. 500 crore and the Central Power Ministry Rs. 515 crore to develop the Rs. 3,500 crore green energy corridor. According to Ajay Jain, Secretary, Energy, Industries and Infrastructure, efforts are now under way to develop a green corridor to support the upcoming solar and wind projects with an initial cost of about Rs.1289 crore. Efforts are under way to secure necessary funding with the support of the Centre and International Financial institutions. Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu thanked the Centre for sanctioning Rs. 515 crore grant for setting up the green energy corridor. The AP Transco and Discoms would initiate steps soon to mobilise the balance investments from Power Finance Corporation (PFC) and Rural Electrification Corporation (REC). Ajay Jain further said that the State was on course developing world’s biggest solar park with a capacity of 2,500 MW with the support of the Centre, National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC), NVVL, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy. v
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Reimagining AP in GIGABYTES
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Having been recognized worldwide for his contribution to making Hyderabad as a formidable destination for IT industry in the past, Chandrababu Naidu is all set to leverage his bandwidth to re-imagine Andhra Pradesh as a software and hardware hub.
handrababu Naidu is known as the poster boy Indian Information Technology (IT) industry across the world. That is because the combined State of Andhra Pradesh has taken a leadership position in e-Governance and IT within short period under his stewardship. Post bifurcation, the Residual State of Andhra Pradesh aims to leverage the Chief Minster’s experience and brand image to attain a position of leadership and excellence in IT. Towards this end, the Government of Andhra Pradesh has developed a blueprint “Re-Imagining Andhra Pradesh – role of e-Governance, Electronics and IT” for development of ICT Industry in the State. The blueprint envisages a large number of conducive policies and simple but effective frameworks being put in place.
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Chandrababu Naidu had single-handedly built Cyberabad, the IT City of Hyderabad, and he is now focused on turning Visakhapatnam as a Mega IT Hub.
Vizag to be Mega IT Hub The Government is making efforts to establish state-of-the-art infrastructure of international standards suiting to the requirements of the IT/ITES Industry. As part of these efforts, Visakhapatnam will be developed as a Mega IT Hub, by developing an IT township with a built-up space of 5 million square feet. A signature tower of 1 million square feet is proposed to form the nucleus of the Mega IT Hub. The Signature Tower would have twin buildings on an area of 10 acres. An extent of 21 acres on Hill No. 3 of Rushikonda in Madhurawada IT SEZ had been identified for the project. Along with the tower, social infrastructure, convention hall, hospitality, ANDHRAPRADESHMAGAZINE.COM
shopping, recreation and entertainment zones would be created in the vicinity of the tower. Currently, the stage is set for finalisation of financial bids submitted by short-listed consultants. The 10-storied building will come up on a hill in an area of 21.16 acres, which was taken back from the IT firm Kennexa by APIIC for not adhering to allotment norms. It is expected to have one million square ft. of built-up area with ample parking space. The government has declared that it will be more imposing than Cyber Towers of Hyderabad as it wants to make Vizag the new destination for investments in IT. The government has already launched an exercise to convince Microsoft, Infosys and TCS to set up campuses in the city. At present Wipro, Tech Mahindra, HSBC and IBM have their campuses in JUNE 2015
Vizag. The scenic Rushikonda on the outskirts is being developed as the new Vizag. Located at an elevated place with sea-view, Sunrise Startup Village was set up in the area sometime ago following a tie-up with MobMe Wireless of Kochi Startup Village fame. IT turnover from Visakhapatnam is estimated between Rs1,800 crore and Rs 2,000 crore in the last financial year. “It has emerged best tier-II location in India after Pune and we have set a target to increase IT turnover to Rs 4,000 crore by 2017,” Joint Director of Software Technology Parks of India M P Dubey said. IT Hubs will also be developed at Vijayawada, Kakinada, Tirupati and Anantapur. The facilities, in the form of IT Towers, IT Parks and IT Zones, will be developed adopting a transparent PPP policy.
Investment Regions for IT The State Government proposed ITIRs (Information Technology Investment Region) to be developed in the state,
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and proposals had been sent to the Centre for setting up IT Investment Regions at Visakhapatnam, Kakinada and Tirupati. The State has already submitted a proposal for establishment of IT Investment Region in Visakhapatnam in an area of 9,000 acres to the Centre for which Ernst & Young conducted a feasibility study. According to industry watchers, the proposed IT Investment Region (ITIR) could be the biggest boost that the industry could get for promoting Vizag as an IT hub. The Vizag ITIR will be implemented over a period of 25 years in two phases and after its commissioning, it is expected to provide direct employment to 4.28 lakh people and indirect employment to another 17.11 lakh people. The investment expected is Rs 45,005 crore and revenues expected are Rs 37,353 crore, when it is fully operational by 2038. Human resources is not a problem for Visakhapatnam as approximately 50 management and engineering colleges are available in and around
the port city. A majority of employees in IT firms at Hyderabad and Bangalore are from coastal Andhra, and this would be an opportunity to them to come back to Visakhapatnam and be closer home. The Government also proposes to set up incubators, each with 15,000 sq.ft, at Kakinada and Tirupati, while another one would come up on JNTU campus, Anantapur. Many fiscal and non-fiscal incentives have been extended in the new IT policy to give a fillip to the industry. (More details at: http://www.aponline.gov.in/apportal/downloads/2014itc_ms13.pdf )
Growing interest among IT Companies Due to all these efforts, Andhra Pradesh has attracted as many as 37 IT companies, mostly in the services sector, with an investment of Rs 3,061 crore and a job potential of 32,305. According to Information Technology Minister Palle Raghunatha Reddy, the 37 companies had been given permis-
BROADBAND TO EvERY AP HOUSEHOLD!
hief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu wants every household in the state to get broadband connection with 10-20 mbps download speed for just Rs 150 per month by 2018. To realize this target, the Government has rolled out plans to set up a Fibre Grid in the State connecting all the cities, towns and villages with Optical Fibre Cable Network. The work for laying of fibre optical cables will start from Dasara. Chief Minister Naidu directed IT department to ensure that the fibre optical cables are laid at every nook and cranny of the State covering 2,491 kms by 2018. After completing this project, the AP government also wants to provide 1 to 10 gbps download speed Internet connection for all institutions by 2018 in the State. The State government estimates that the total project would cost Rs 4,660 crore. The Union government has already accepted the AP government’s proposal to execute the National Optical Fibre Network (NOFN) on its own, as part of the ‘Digital India’ programme. JUNE 2015
Of the Rs 4,660 crore, the Centre will contribute Rs 3,840 crore and the State government Rs 820 crore. Earlier, Naidu also discussed with the officials the modalities to select the fibre corporation partners and digital corporation partners, who will execute this mega project. Expected outcome of the Fibre Grid at village level is improving quality of life, citizen services, e-commerce, digital literacy, social services, skill development and good governance.
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The targets for the next 5 years are: • To be FIRST in India in Quality & Quantity of
e-Services • To be known as the Silicon Corridor of India • To attract Investments of US $ 2 bn in IT and US $ 5 bn in Electronics manufacturing • To get a 5% share in national exports of Software • To create an additional direct employment of 0.5 mil • To take Gigabit to all Villages • To make at least one person e-literate in every house hold. sion over the past several months. Reddy said so far 94 start-up promoters had come forward with proposals to establish their ventures. IT layouts were being developed on a 400-acre site at Kapuluppada in Visakhapatnam, 200-acre site near Veerapunenigudem in Vijayawada, 148-acre site at Surapakasam village, near Tirupati, 400-acre area at
Tekumalla in Anantapur district. The Minister said 50,000 sq.ft had been provided for incubation centres and start-ups in Visakhapatnam. Plans are afoot for setting up Electronic Manufacturing Clusters at Gurrampalem village (98 acres) in Visakhapatnam district, Anantapuram (Kappalabanda-200 acres).
AP to launch digital repository of land records soon
The Andhra Pradesh government has decided to create a digital repository of land records in the state. The online portal, to be launched by chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu shortly, is aimed at bringing in transparency and ensuring easy verification during registrations or applying for loans from banks. The digital repository will incorporate technology for egovernance and categorises the details of land into information about the owner, area, assessment, water rate, soil type, nature of possession of land, liabilities, tenancy and crops grown. One can also view individual/village adangal and other details on the website. Users could enter their Aadhaar card number to view their land details. They can also search for their Field Measurement Book (FMB) through the website. The details of all the transactions will be updated on the portal. With respect to grievances related to land, people can register a compliant at the closest mee-Seva centres.
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Proposals had been sent to the Centre for establishing a national e-governance academy and Skill Development Council in Tirupati. The State Government is partnering with Google to provide training for 20,000 DWCRA women on internet use. To further propel the growth of the IT, Electronics and e-Governance in the new State, Government organized a Networking Dinner on May 11 for an interactive meeting with the IT industry leaders at Novotel HICC. The key officials in ICT & Electronics industry, concerned executing agencies of the Government and other stakeholders participated in the meet. The aim of this session was to share initiatives taken by the Government of Andhra Pradesh, incentives available for ICT & Electronics industry in the state and to gather the valuable suggestions from the industry. Over 100 representatives from IT/ITES Industry, including heads of Major IT MNCs/Majors like Microsoft, Accenture, HP, Wells Fargo, NTT Data, ELICO, Oracle, S&P Capital IQ, Tech Mahindra, TATA BSS and Polaris participated and shared their views on the Way Forward for Government to make the State as most preferred IT & Electronics Destination across the globe. - Ramesh Kandula
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chief minister’s
social network
CM Chandrababu Naidu is an active social media user. Many of you have been actively following his activities with admiration. Here are a few snapshots from his Twitter account.
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compiled by Ankitha
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Amazing Andhra Pradesh
YAGANTI TEMPLE Boasting historical significance, the remotely located Yaganti Temple is a place of divinity, serenity, adventure and solace.
estled between hillocks, near Banaganapalle in Kurnool district, stands a serene temple that has a wonderful mythology attached to itself. Sri Yaganti Uma Maheswara Temple is rich in architectural splendor and divinity, which has been preserved even after several hundred years. Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvathi, in Ardhanareeswara form, carved out on a single stone, are the main deities in the temple.
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At the entrance to the temple stands a picturesque teal-blue Pushkarini with cool and pure water. The holy water pond has water all round the year, despite seasons, which remains a mystery. Here water flows into the Pushkarini from the bottom of the hill through the mouth of Nandi, which is the most interesting attraction of the temple. The size of the Nandi keeps increasing and the Archeological survey of India confirmed that the Nandi is growing 1 inch every 20 ANDHRAPRADESHMAGAZINE.COM
years. The temple is one of the few patronized by one of the greatest dynasties of India – the Vijayanagara Empire. It is also said that renowned saint Potuluri Veerabrahmendra Swami stayed here for some time and wrote Kalagnanam, in which he had predicted several instances in time, similar to Nostradamus.
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attractions:
a The temple architecture showcases the skill of Vishwakarma
Sthapathis.
a The beautiful ancient temple is surrounded by 3 caves. 4 4
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One is the Agasthya Cave. It’s the cave where sage Agasthya performed his penance for Lord Shiva.
The second of the caves is Lord Venkateswara Swamy Cave. It houses the damaged idol of Lord Venkateswara that was created by sage Agasthya.
The third cave is the one where Saint Veerabrahmendra Swamy stayed for many years and has written his Kalagnanam.
to reach
A trip to Yaganti is a combination of pilgrimage, adventure and geological wonders. And to reach this striking place, one has to travel over a distance of 53 kms from Nandyal, 85 kms from Kurnool and 305 kms from Hyderabad. The temple is situated at a distance of 13 kms from Banaganapalle in Kurnool.
accommodations available
Government-owned Harita Hotels offer air-conditioned suites and rooms, standard rooms and dormitory rooms at Kurnool. For halts, one can stop over at the hotels at Venkatramana Colony, Belum Caves, Mahanandi, Ahobilam and Orvakallu in Kurnool district. JUNE 2015
transport facilities:
Yaganti is well connected with roads. Bus services are available to Yaganti from Banaganapalli, Kurnool and Nandyal. The nearest railway station from Yaganti is Dhone, at a distance of 29 kilometers. The nearest airport is Hyderabad, where you can get to Yaganti via Kurnool.
- Shruti Mathur Photos: highwayonlyway.com v
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HAPPENING ANDHRA inance Minister Yanamala ramakrishnudu said that efforts were on to expand libraries as literacy centres so that illiterates could learn reading and writing from the nearby libraries. laying the foundation stone for the construction of a public library at netaji Park near MSn Charities in Kakinada, ramakrishnudu said that the State was lagging behind on literacy front as the literacy percentage was only 67. “the government is according top priority to education and health sectors. there is no dearth of funds for these two key sectors, he said.
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ndhra Pradesh needs to raise the pitch and be more strategic to convert the existing interest among nris into investments in the capital region, says Upendra J. Chivukula, Commissioner, Board of Public Utilities, State of new Jersey, USA. Upendra, native of nellore settled in the US, asked the government to explore options such as ‘AP Capital Bonds’ to raise investments. “there are high networth individuals (Hnis) interested in investing in A.P. and they need to be pursued seriously. the State can take up proactive steps like setting up small representative offices in the potential States of the US to spread the message and issue bonds to encourage investments,” he advised.
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fter the successful handling of sand reaches, women selfhelp groups will now be entrusted the task of getting constructed 5.5 lakh toilets in municipalities, corporations and nagar panchayats, Municipal Administration and Urban Development Minister P narayana said. the groups will then be entrusted the job of running generic medical shops. narayana said the Cabinet had decided to hand over the construction of toilets at a cost of rs 379 crore in 110 civic bodies to SlFs under the Swachch Bharat campaign. the ambitious target is to complete 2.5 lakh toilets by the end of June. Another 2.5 lakh would be taken up in July and August.
he State Government has framed the Andhra Pradesh Victim Compensation Scheme – 2015, to provide financial aid to the victims of Prevention of Children from Sexual offences (PoCSo) Act, acid, sexual assault, trafficking and dowry death. A Go has been issued recently in this regard. District legal Services Authority (DlSA) shall award the relief to the victims. if the victims belonged to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled tribes, the compensation under the scheme is additional to the benefits provided to them under various government schemes.
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ndhra University has launched a preliminary survey of its land in a bid to protect its properties. registrar V Umamaheswara rao said that a full-scale study of constructions, encroachments on university premises would be made from old CBi office junction to Polamamba temple, Sivajipalem area, and international Students’ Hostel area. the digital survey process will be completed in a few days. our foremost concern is to protect every piece of land of the university, he said.
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ugmentation of power infrastructure in the Capital region gained pace with the government sanctioning 20 km and 10 km of underground cabling in Vijayawada and Guntur cities respectively in the first phase. Besides, sanction has been given for laying covered cables to an extent of 23 km in Vijayawada city and 10 km in Guntur. the government has also cleared the decks for setting up two gas-insulated substations in Vijayawada and Guntur.
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n an attempt to give easy access to people who intend to lodge complaints against corrupt government employees and officers, the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has set up a toll free number 1064 at its headquarters. the caller can dial the number and choose the language of communication– telugu, english or Hindi. For indicating the region (Andhra or rayalaseema), the caller has to press 1 for Andhra and 2 for rayalaseema. For operator’s assistance the complainant has to press 3 on phone.
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he Dhanbad (Bihar)–headquartered indian School of Mines (iSM) is exploring the possibility of setting up its first off-campus regional Centre in the country in Krishna district. An iSM team led by Prof. A.S. Venkatesh inspected lands at Kondapalli, Mylavaram and trilochanapuram (ibrahimpatnam). the iSM team had already visited Visakhapatnam. the iSM regional Centre was bound to come up at either of those places. the Centre would start off with seismic and oceanic studies, for which necessary laboratories would be set up, and later the centre would get into academics.
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nion Minister for Civil Aviation P Ashok Gajapathi raju described former Visakhapatnam Mayor D V Subba rao as a man who had “earned the love of the people” with his noble deeds. the Minister was speaking after releasing the book, ‘Dialogue and democracy – reflections on ideas, issues, and Policies’, brought out by the Centre for Policy Studies. terming DV as an “odd man out in politics,” raju said that he would be remembered for long for his contribution to the growth and development of the city.
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rchaeology enthusiasts can hope to see rare photographs of freedom fighter and designer of the tri-colour Pingali Venkayya at the Victoria Museum in Vijayawada. these photographs will be in addition to an array of collection including ancient articles preserved in the museum, according to officials. Museum officials are in touch with the family members of the freedom fighter at Sattenapalle to get the photographs.
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new cargo service has been launched from Vizag to Middle east. With the maiden voyage of M.V. Messini from Visakha Container terminal on May 14, direct service to Jebel Ali and Sohar came into operation. the service has been introduced by evergreen line, the fifth largest shipping company in the world, which launched its operations from Visakhapatnam Port. the direct service was introduced with the developments in Visakhapatnam and considering the future prospects.
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P Minister for it Dr P raghunatha reddy visited tokyo, Japan from May 13 to May 15 to participate in the Japan it Week, the premier international it and electronics exhibition. the Minister inaugurated india it Pavilion at
Japan it Week exhibition, along with Ms Deepa Gopalan Wadhwa, Ambassa on the occasion, the Minister met top executives of Sony Corporation, ntt Data, toshibha and Fourth Valley Conceirge Corporation, Farukawa electric Corporation, neC Corporatiton and Panasonic Corporation and told them to explore the business and investment opportunities available in Sunrise Andhra Pradesh.
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or the first time, Automatic ticket Vending Machines (AtVMs) were introduced at the railway stations across the state, sparing the commuters from going through the ordeal spending hours in long queue lines at the ticket counters. 8 such AtVMs were set up in Vijayawada, while 3 each were installed at rajahmundry, tenali and nellore railway stations.
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he Araku Utsav and Bheemli Utsav will be conducted during october, Minister for HrD Ganta Srinivasa rao announced in Visakhapatnam. Araku Utsav was planned for May 23 but due to unfavourable weather conditions it
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was decided to be held during october. the Bheemli Utsav would also be held during october during Dasara.
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pplications have been invited for admission to four-year Graduate Diploma in Design (GDD) programme of the national institute of Design (niD) coming up at Mangalagiri in Guntur district, for the academic year 2015-16. the GDD program will be offered at the niD’s transit campus at Acharya nagarjuna University before a full-fledged infrastructure is created at Mangalagiri where 30 acres of land has been allotted by the government.
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oastal Security Police (Marine) in the State is all set to become an independent elite force in the next couple of years. inspector General of Police, CSP, G. Suryaprakash rao said the idea was to have a separate special force for the security of the coast on par with the elite anti-naxal force the Greyhounds or the anti-terror force, the octopus. While the funds for development will be given by the Centre, the State government will manage the force with manpower.
he Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium enterprises is opening a new Central institute of tool Design (CitD) campus at ongole for the next academic year. it will be the third sub-centre of the CitD in Andhra Pradesh and telangana. the other two sub-centres are situated in Visakhapatnam and Vijayawada. Besides, decks have been cleared for upgrading the infrastructure at the CitD Vijayawada Sub-Centre at a cost of nearly rs. 2 crore to help a larger number of iti and engineering students in enhancing their skills.
tate government has approved the Swiss Challenge method for the selection of the master developer for the construction of the core capital area. the government invited experienced and competent developers to send their proposals to Principal Secretary, Municipal Administration and Urban Development. they would be thoroughly examined by the infrastructure Authority before according approval.
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nline retailer Flipkart is likely to provide an online marketing platform to handloom weavers in the State. the government is holding discussions with Flipkart and other online retailers such as Amazon and Snapdeal to sell handloom products. the Andhra Pradesh State Handloom Weavers Cooperative Society ltd., (APCo) will enter into an agreement with the online retailers. Handlooms Minister Kollu ravindra said that the initiative was an endeavour to empower weavers and give a boost to the sector as well.
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Thrust Sectors for Andhra Pradesh POWER
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Installed capacity of over 42,000 Mw s Per capita electricity consumption to exceed 4500 units s Renewable energy capacity addition of over 9000 Mw s Reduction of T&D losses to below 5%
3 world-class International airports at Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada and Tirupati s 12 out of 13 districts of the state will have an Airport upon completion of the envisaged plan (except Srikakulam District) PORTS
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Ports to handle cargo throughput of over 1000 MT a year s 18 ports to be operational (6 currently operational, 6 under development, 6 identified)
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Andhra Pradesh to become a gateway to import gas in the country s Piped gas for every industry, commercial operation and domestic consumption in every district ROADS
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RAILWAY
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GAS
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Road density of 1.42 km per sq km s four/six lane connectivity from district headquarters to the State capital s Road connectivity to every village, with paved all weather roads.
connection on demand with a bandwidth of at least 10 Mbps through “Aerial fibre network” s Broadband connectivity to over 1.2 crore households
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AIRPORTS
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TELECOM
Develop new railway lines and expand capacity of existing railway lines connecting to gateways – ports & airports to enhance cargo transportation by rail
Development of national waterway 4 as a major transportation route for transport of cargo, extending from kakinada to Puducherry
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WATERWAYS
JUNE 2015
CM
ON THE MOVE
Chandrababu Naidu is always on the move, multi-tasking in the true sense. Here in these pictures, he is seen in dierent avatars.
Pic 1: Pic 2:
Pic 3: Pic 4:
The Chief Minister in conversation with Gopinath Pillai, Ambassador at Lage, Singapore, at Secretariat. Even while attending to nitty-gritties of administration, the CM has time to preside over the 2nd Meeting of Sub-Group constituted by PM Narendra Modi on Swachh Bharat Abhiyan in Chandigarh. CM met Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in New Delhi. The Chief Minister interacting with the Chengdu city Delegation from China led by Deputy Mayor Fu Yonglin at Park Hyatt in Hyderabad.
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Regd. no. H-HD-1082/2013-15 Published on: 01/05/2015
APEnG/2007/20679
Posting Dt: 6th