AP Magazine Oct 2015 - Eng by AndhraPradeshCM

BRAHMOTSAVAM of the Lord of the Seven Hills

rahmotsavam is the most glittering festival in the temple of Lord Venkateswara, the Lord of the seven hills. Every day during the Festival, both in the morning and the evening, the processional deity of Lord Venkateswara called Malayyapa Swamy, is taken in a colourful procession through the decorated four

mada streets around the temple. All through the nine days the hill wears a colourful look with a sea of humanity thronging the place. This year, two Brahmotsavam are due because of Adhika Masam - one is in Salakatla Brahmotsavam (September 16 to 24), another Navaratri Brahmotsavam (October 14 to 22).

CONTENTS AP hot investment destination

China’s LONGi to Set Up Solar Cell-Manufacturing Plant

The state-wise report released by the World Bank on September 14 ranked the new State of Andhra Pradesh at second place, after Gujarat.

First LNG Terminal On The East Coast Of India

Singapore PM invited for Amaravati Foundation

Snapshot

State emerges as Electronics Hub

Bringing back the Telugu cultural heritage

TISS to Help AP Increase Employability of Students

Industry Sector

Chief Minister’s Social Network

12 ‘Development possible only through leadership’

Amazing AP: Lambasingi

Birth of Amaravati To Be A Spectacular Extravaganza Historic Linking of Rivers

Happening Andhra

Various developments across the state of Andhra Pradesh.

24 State bats for best Public Housing Models

28 BIA to Help Make AP Knowledge Hub

18 e-pragati to pave way for e-governance

EDITORIAL

ANDHRA PRADESH

Published Monthly In English & Telugu October 2015 Volume: 9 Issue: 4 Salivahana Era 1937

Publisher & Commissioner Dr P Krishna Mohan Chief Editor Ramesh Kandula Editor Naresh Nunna Assistant Editor Shruti Mathur Cover Page CM N Chandrababu Naidu Second Cover Tirumala Brahmotsavalu 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 Karthik Beesu Printed at Caxton Offset Pvt. Ltd. Hyderabad

IN AN ACCELERATED MODE..

wo landmark achievements in September have made the fledgling state of Andhra Pradesh proud. First, coming out in flying colours for creating business-friendly environment in a short time of sixteen months is an acknowledgement of the stupendous work done by Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu. Being ranked as the second best state in the country for ‘Ease of Doing Business’ by the World Bank Survey is no small a measure of recognition. And analysts across the country rightly underlined the fact as to how the re-born Andhra Pradesh, under the dynamic leadership of Chandrababu Naidu, ‘stole the show’ in this regard. The linking of Godavari-Krishna, through Pattiseema Project, is another feather in the cap for the State Government. The completion of the first phase in such a short time was made possible only through the tenacity of the Chief Minister, who stood by his commitment to stick to the deadline - thought of as impossible by his detractors. Pattiseema is not only a testimony to Naidu’s dedication but also to his resourcefulness. No wonder, he has been praised for his ‘political dexterity to quickly reassess his position and come out with a low-cost, temporary solution with minimal impact on river ecology’. The investments are flowing in, the irrigation facilities are expanding and the economy of the State is showing visible signs of vibrancy. With Amaravati, the new capital of Andhra Pradesh, all set for a grand foundation this month in the presence of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the positive vibrations are set to get a further boost for the Sunrise State.

Each Issue : Rs 5/Annual Subscription : Rs 50/-

RAMESH KANDULA Chief Editor

www.andhrapradeshmagazine.org Email: apchiefeditor@gmail.com www.ipr.ap.nic.in 4

Edited, Printed and Published by RAMESH KANDULA on behalf of Commissioner, Information and Public Relations Dept., (on behalf of Govt. of AP); Published at Samachar Bhavan, AC Guards, Hyderabad - 500028 Ph: 040-23300258 Printed at M/s Caxton Offset Pvt. Ltd., 11.5.416/3, Red Hills, Hyderabad - 500 004

ANDHRAPRADESHMAGAZINE.ORG

OCTOBER 2015

Birth of Amaravati To Be A Spectacular Extravaganza

rime Minister Narendra Modi has accepted the invitation extended by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu to lay the foundation stone for the state’s new capital city. The Prime Minister will visit the state on the auspicious day of Vijaya Dasami on October 22nd to lay the foundation for Amaravati. This was revealed by the Chief Minister during a review meeting of the Capital Advisory Committee on the status of works for the foundationlaying ceremony. “The location where the foundation stone will be laid should be vaastu-compliant and a picturesque spot. In future, it will become the nerve centre of Andhra Pradesh, signifying river-linking and a spot where soil from all mandals will be mixed with the soil of Amaravati,” the Chief Minister said, after he was informed that the river-front location of one of the three identified units of the SEED capital came up for discussion. The Chief Minister suggested developing the location into a public space. “This could have an exhibition from portraying Amaravati’s past to what it is in the present to what it will OCTOBER 2015

The capital city of Amaravati will be a dynamic city that all Telugus will be proud of, said CM Naidu, as he conﬁrmed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s presence during the foundationlaying ceremony on October 22nd.

be in the future.” Stating that the “Birth of Amaravati – the People’s Capital” should be a spectacular extravaganza that should create an emotional bond with people of Andhra Pradesh, the Chief Minister said every citizen of the state should participate in capital building. On October 22, sarpanches from villages in all the mandals will carry soil from their respective places and congregate in the Capital Region. “The soil brought from all the mandals across the state could be mixed with the Amaravati soil to establish an emotional connection. The soil will be brought in a Purnakumbham after a pooja. All the Purnakumbhams then could be formed into a massive sculpture or an idol, signifying the contribution of people to the People’s Capital or may be into Bodhi tree, reflecting its connection with Buddhism. Let us come up with different ideas and finalize them.” The Chief Minister also said that immediate beautification works of VGTM areas should begin. “Bring in uniform colour-coding and illumination across the state. We can also build momentum to the campaign by ANDHRAPRADESHMAGAZINE.ORG

clubbing the celebration with Dasara’s Navarati as a build up to the main event. This will also add a cultural spin to the event, retaining our tradition and bringing in a festive mood” he added. During the meeting, MP Galla Jayadev, GVK’s Sanjay Reddy, GMR Group’s Srinivas, Sri City’s Srini Raju and Mandava Prabhakar of Nuziveedu Seeds also pitched their opinions to the Chief Minister through a video-conference. Galla Jayadev suggested that “Amaravati should be the model for India yet retain its cultural hue.” Sanjay Reddy suggested that the moment should be made memorable for every person from the state. “People could wear a single colour (including NRIs), everyone should feel they have contributed and say it is their capital. Not only that, but India should feel proud about such a city.” From a gigantic exhibition to an Amaradwaram with farmers’ names (who gave their lands for the capital) imprinted on it to a massive Amaravati Pavilion, the event comprises of everything. The event is being planned for 1000 VIPs and 50,000 general audience by an event management company.

AP SECOND HOT

WORLD BANK

INVESTMENT DESTINATION IN COUNTRY:

In just a year after the bifurcation, the residual state of Andhra Pradesh has made tremendous progress in creating business and investor-friendly environment, scoring second rank among all states in an all-India study done by World Bank on ‘Ease of Doing Business’. Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu’s hand is obviously at work here!

he sunrise state of Andhra Pradesh has outshined Telangana in World Bank list of investor-friendly states in the country. In an acknowledgement to Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu’s relentless efforts to turn around the economy, AP has been selected the ‘second hot destination for investment in India’, according to the latest World Bank report on ‘Ease of Doing Business’. The state-wise report released by the World Bank on September 14 ranked the new State of Andhra Pradesh at second place, after Gujarat, in terms of creating friendly atmosphere for investors. Telangana fared at 13th position in the rankings. According to the report, Gujarat is at the top place with a score of 71.14

ANDHRAPRADESHMAGAZINE.ORG

per cent, whereas AP secured the second rank with 70.12 per cent. Chief Minister N.Chandrababu Naidu expressed happiness over Andhra Pradesh taking the 2nd rank in Ease of Doing Business in India. This shows we're making an impact through our work, the Chief Minister added

The Background

In December, 2014, at the “Make In India” workshop, State governments agreed to a 98-point action plan for business reforms to all States and Union Territories. The objective of the action plan was to lay out the first of a series of recommendations targeted at increasing transparency and improving the efficiency and effectiveness of various government regulatory functions and services for OCTOBER 2015

Andhra Pradesh would compete among the world's top 10 investment destinations in "ease of doing business" in the near future. - N Chandrababu Naidu

Chief Minister

business in India. Simplifying regulatory burdens on business at the State level is an important component of the ambitious Ease of Doing Business in India initiative.

The Assessment

This assessment, the first of its kind, has been conducted to take stock of reforms implemented by States in the period January 1 to June 30, 2015. Data was collected through a structured questionnaire that was completed by each State and UT Government. The responses were validated through a series of indepth workshops with State Government representatives, and the collection of supporting evidence on each of the parameters of the questionnaire. This report contains detailed analysis on each of the 285 questions studied in the assessment, and outlines which States are leading on each.

Methodology

The report assesses implementation status of reform measures across the following eight areas:

Areas Considered

s Setting up a business s Allotment of land and obtaining construction permit

Rank

State

Score

Gujarat

71.14%

Andhra Pradesh

70.12%

Jharkhand

63.09%

Chhattisgarh

62.45%

Madhya Pradesh

62.00%

Rajasthan

61.04%

Odisha

52.12%

Maharashtra

49.43%

Karnataka

48.50%

Uttar Pradesh

47.37%

West Bengal

46.90%

Tamil Nadu

44.58%

Telangana

42.45%

Haryana

40.66%

Delhi

37.35%

Punjab

36.73%

Himachal Pradesh

23.95%

Kerala

22.87%

Goa

21.74%

Puducherry

17.72%

Bihar

16.41%

Assam

14.84%

Uttarakhand

13.36%

Chandigarh

10.04%

Andaman and Nicobar Islands

9.73%

Tripura

9.29%

Sikkim

7.23%

Mizoram

6.37%

Jammu and Kashmir

5.93%

Meghalaya

4.38%

Nagaland

3.41%

Arunachal Pradesh

1.23%

s Complying with environment procedures

s Complying with labour regulations

s Obtaining infrastructure related utilities s Registering and complying with tax OCTOBER 2015

procedures

s Carrying out inspections s Enforcing contracts

Overall results

ANDHRAPRADESHMAGAZINE.ORG

The implementation status of each State has been converted to a percentage, and, on the basis of this total percentage, the report calculated the State rankings as shown in the table (previous page).

Another interesting fact to emerge from the study is the contrasting performances of two states that were earlier one:Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. Even though the former emerged with the crown jewel of Hyderabad in its kitty, it is Naidu’s rump Andhra Pradesh that is stealing the show. With an overall score of 70.12, Naidu has left his Telangana bête noire K Chandrashekhar Rao in the dust. The latter scored just 42.45. The split clearly is bringing out the best in Andhra Pradesh, which wants to prove a point. Again, competitive federalism is clearly at work here.

- R Jagannathan, Editor-in-Chief, Network 18

As per the report, AP is ranked in the category of ‘Aspiring Leaders’ which means the overall implementation status is to be between 50 per cent and 75 per cent. The report of the World Bank stated that AP has implemented an effective online single-window system with provision for filing, payment, satus tracking, online scrutiny and approval of applications. The report also praises the VAT registration system followed by AP along with states such as Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh and Karnataka. The Chief Minster pointed out that this rating will act as a major indicator for prospective investors across the globe looking at investing in India. It attracts the global investors to consider investing in AP. The new state, several business publications observed, is giving tough competition to its neighbours in attracting investments. The Business Standard said, “Over the past year, a number of big-ticket projects bound for Tamil Nadu have gone to Andhra Pradesh's swanky new business district called Sri City, about 50 Kms from Chennai. Andhra Pradesh now boasts of several big names like Mahindra & Mahindra, Hero MotoCorp and Japanese automobile manufacturer Isuzu Motors as its investors. This week, Chinese solar cells manufacturer Longi announced it was investing Rs 8,000 crore in the state. A host of IT companies have opted for Sri City too, driven by the ease of doing business there and the promise of highspeed internet connectivity.’’ The report also pointed out that the cost of setting up business is also cheaper in Andhra Pradesh, as the state

government is doling out tax incentives and land at throwaway prices to woo investors. Hero MotoCorp, for example, has been provided 100 per cent exemption on value-added tax, or VAT, on bikes produced in the state, say industry sources.

Asian Studies, a think-tank of National University of Singapore (NUS) during his latest Singapore trip, Naidu told the gathering that Andhra Pradesh would compete among the world's top 10 investment destinations in "ease of doing business" in the near future.

Sri City is also leveraging its proximity to Chennai, a huge market, and connectivity to ports both in the north and south to boost its prospects.

Stating in a media interview that there are over Rs 1.13 lakh crore of investments in various stages of pipeline, the Chief Minister said, “..given the serious constraints we inherited, I think whatever has been achieved so far is a good humble beginning and we are happy with the progress so far.”

“Tamil Nadu has a lot to do to catch up on the power front with Andhra Pradesh which offers electricity at a highly subsidised rate of 75 paisa a unit,” the report said. Meanwhile, the Chief Minister said that the state government is targeting to be number one in the country in ease of doing business. “The state will have to compete with the industrially developed countries in this regard,” he said. The World Bank Report on Ease of Doing Business has already brought attention to the potential of Andhra Pradesh as an attractive business destination, from across the world. The recognition has come as a shot in the arm for the Chief Minister, who has been leaving no stone untured in his relentless efforts to bring in investments. While earlier Chandrababu Naidu would take pains to explain in detail about the advantages of doing buisness in AP during his foriegn visits, now he has a World Bank Report to vouch for the reforms brougt in by his government to facilitate easy establishment of businesses. Speaking at the media interactive session organised by the Institute of South ANDHRAPRADESHMAGAZINE.ORG

The World Bank recognition was made possible due to a series of steps taken by the State Government including the industrial policy. Since the day he took over, Chandrababu Naidu spent considerable time in bringing about changes in the various policies that have a bearing on the ease of doing business. A series of meetings with departments concerned, and a close follow-up on implementation of various measures set as benchmark in the interface between the businesses and the bureacracy - resulted in a revamp of the whole system of approvals and permits. Even as the recognition came in full measure for all the efforts put in by the State Government for ease of business, the resolve of the Chief Minister to reach the top in attraci investments, is further bolstered.

Ramesh Kandula OCTOBER 2015

GODAVARI KRISHNA Pavitra Sangamam

ith the formal launch of the Pattiseema lift irrigation scheme in Andhra Pradesh, the country took a step forward in its ambitious but long-pending goal to interlink major rivers to form a national water grid. The Pattiseema project lifts flood water from the river Godavari and pumps it into the Polavaram right canal that empties into the river Krishna in Vijayawada. The interlinking of the Godavari and the Krishna has been on the anvil for almost five decades and with the commissioning of the Pattiseema scheme, four major rivers in Andhra Pradesh are now connected to one another: Godavari-Krishna, Krishna-Pennar and PennarTungabhadra. Naidu unveiled a pylon at Ferry village near Ibrahimpatnam on September 16 to formally launch the project. Amid the chanting of Vedic hymns by the priests, Naidu performed puja at the confluence of the two rivers. His cabinet colleagues and ecstatic local people were present. Naidu later left for Pattiseema in West Godavari district to switch on the first pump of his pet project to release water from Godavari into the Polavaram right main canal that links with the Krishna river upstream of the Prakasam Barrage in Vijayawada. Thousands of farmers in Krishna, Guntur, Prakasam, Kurnool, Kadapa, Anantapur and Chittoor districts will benefit from the Godavari-Krishna linkage. About 17 lakh acres including 13 lakhs in the Krishna delta will get assured irrigation water for two agricultural crops round the year. Thousands of villages en route will get drinking water supplies. The project is expected to meet the irriOCTOBER 2015

Andhra Pradesh has become the ﬁrst state in the country to link major rivers, Godavari and Krishna. gation and drinking water needs of drought-prone Rayalseema region. Naidu described it as a historic occasion and named the Ferry village as Godavari-Krishna Pavitra Sangamam, which will be developed as a tourism spot. The project is designed to draw 120 tmc ft (thousand million cubic feet) from Godavari and release them into the Krishna. This is expected to change the face of both Rayalaseema and Krishna delta. Considered rice bowl of India, Krishna delta is facing water shortage due to construction of dams in upstream Karnataka. Megha Engineering Infrastructure Limited (MEIL) has completed the first phase works in less than six months. All the 24 pumps brought from China will be ready for operation by March next year. The completion of the first phase of this Rs.1,300 crore project as a major achievement. The project was first mooted in 1950s by eminent engineer KL Rao, who was also the central water resources minister. About 3,000 TMC of the Godavari’s flood waters flows into the Bay of Bengal every year. Successive Andhra Pradesh governments have been trying to harness at least 10 per cent of this water and divert some of it into the Krishna, whose delta faces an acute shortage of water for irrigation from June to August. While the plan is to eventually divert water from the Polavaram dam, since the dam is still under construction and will take at least 4 to 5 years to be ready, the Chandrababu Naidu governANDHRAPRADESHMAGAZINE.ORG

“

With waters from the Godavari river flowing into the Krishna river in Andhra Pradesh (AP), the idea of river interlinking has yet again found a place in national discourse. While the original plan to connect the two rivers demanded the construction of the Polavaram dam across the Godavari river, this mega project has been delayed and its fate is uncertain. This is where AP Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu can be credited for displaying the political dexterity to quickly reassess his position and come out with a low-cost, temporary solution with minimal impact on river ecology.

”

From National Newspaper DNA

ment decided to divert Godavari water from the Pattiseema Lift Irrigation Scheme.

The Pattiseema plan

Pattiseema is a village in Polavaram mandal of West Godavari district. 80 TMC of flood water from the Godavari at this point will be diverted into the Polavaram Right Main Canal, which is nearly complete up to Prakasam Barrage on river Krishna at Vijayawada, 174 km away. But this water has to be lifted from the Godavari at Pattiseema and pumped to the Polavaram Right Main Canal, 3.9 km away. By next year, 24 vertical turbine pumps of 4,611 HP each will lift and pump the water through 12 rows of pipelines into the Polavaram canal.

SINGAPORE PM INVITED

for Amaravati Foundation

Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu extended invitation to Singapore Prime Minister to the foundation stone-laying ceremony of the new state capital in October, and sought the island nation’s partnership in construction of the capital city.

hief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu extended invitation to Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsein Loong for the foundation stonelaying ceremony of Amaravati on October 22nd, 2015. The Prime Minister replied in the affirmative and said he will definitely try his best to make it to the ceremony. Chandrababu Naidu met the Prime Minister of Singapore on the third and final day of his visit to the country and congratulated him on his re-election. During the meeting, Chief Minister thanked the Singapore Prime Minister for extending all the help from their side in making the master plan for Amaravati and submitting them as planned. Further, the Chief Minister also told

Loong that Singapore could extend help in building the state’s infrastructure and support Andhra Pradesh in making it a knowledge economy. Explaining how Andhra Pradesh has set its eyes on long-term development and growth, the Chief Minister told the Singapore Prime Minister that the government is planning to make the state a logistics hub. “We need your support,” he added.

‘Ease of Doing Business’, Loong said that the ranking reflects how the state has made a difference within a short span. Loon also lauded the Chief Minister’s efforts in pooling land for the capital. Following this, the Chief Minister explained the main features of Amaravati and how it will be constructed as a sustainable and smart city for future generations.

Replying to the Chief Minister, the Prime Minister said that Singapore will support Andhra Pradesh and will share whatever expertise and experience it has.

Earlier in the day, the Chief Minister and the AP delegation visited the Singapore City Gallery and got insights into its key physical features such as residential, industrial, commercial areas, airbases, reservoirs etc of the City.

When the Chief Minister informed the PM that the World Bank has ranked Andhra Pradesh 2nd in the country in

They were explained about the planning for the Civic district, Marina Bay and the planning for green and blue spaces,

ANDHRAPRADESHMAGAZINE.ORG

OCTOBER 2015

recreation spaces, island-wide water catchment, waste management, integration of land use plans with public transport networks and conservation planning. Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu began his Singapore visit by meeting an urban development team from Malaysia soon after landing at Singapore city along with the State government delegation. The delegation from Iskandar Medini Development Authority, Malaysia gave a presentation on their experiences in developing Medini Iskandar, a Greenfield development spanning 2,230 acres designed to become the central business district. On Day 2 of his Singapore visit, Chief Minister began his day with a private meeting with Second Minister for Trade and Industry S. Iswaran where they discussed about the new Capital Amaravati. After a lunch meeting with Iswaran, the Chief Minister took part in a public lecture at the Institute of South Asian Studies (ISAS) which was moderated by Ambassador Gopinath Pillai. Delivering the welcome address, Pillai said that the overwhelming response at ISAS is a mark of Naidu’s popularity in Singapore. “He built the IT sector in Andhra Pradesh and is famously known to be the brain behind Cyberabad. Now, he is building the new capital of Andhra Pradesh, Amaravati,” Pillai elaborated to the audience at ISAS. Explaining the advantages of the new State of Andhra Pradesh, Pillai said that the state has rich natural and human resources. “Next year ISAS will have a South Asia Diaspora Meet to which AP is an invite. One more state from India and another state from Pakistan will be the invitees,” he added. Taking over the dais from Ambassador Pillai, the Chief Minister said that Andhra Pradesh is a new state which is just one year and three months old. Emphasizing the need to nurture the state carefully, he elaborated on developments during his previous stint. Stating that India is moving in the right direction, the Chief Minister said that India, China and the US will be the leading economies in the world by 2050. OCTOBER 2015

“We have a long sea coast. The advantage we have is that we are the only state with such a long coast on the East and hence, we aim to develop this as Logistics Hub of Southeast Asia. We are ranked second in cargo handling in the country and we will reach the top position,” he added. The Chief Minister also informed the audience that the state government has recently linked the mighty Godavari and Krishna Rivers in the state, reiterating the fact that hard work and determination will pay off if leaders commit themselves to development. Despite challenges, the Chief Minister said, the government sees capital building as one of the greatest advantages for the state. “Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has accepted our invitation to lay the foundation for Amaravati on October 22nd. I will be meeting Singapore Prime Minister tomorrow, to invite him for the historic occasion on October 22nd,” the Chief Minister added. Recalling his first visit to Singapore last year, the Chief Minister said: “I first asked them to come up with a Master Plan for our Capital. They did. Now, I'm now asking Singapore to join us to build our capital. I’m hopeful they will come forward to do this as well,” he said, adding that Amaravati will not only serve as an administrative area but also model itself as a economy and knowledge driver. “I’m also happy to inform you that our state has been ranked second in ‘Ease of Doing Business’ by World Bank, after Gujarat. I’m confident that we will rise ANDHRAPRADESHMAGAZINE.ORG

to the top spot next year. We will be a distant number one.” From tourism to logistics agriculture, infrastructure, industries and other sectors, the Chief Minister elaborated on the potential for investments in Andhra Pradesh. “We are aiming at Double-digital growth. I’m confident that AP will rise to become one of top most states in India. I invite each one of you to come to AP at least with one project. Come, experience AP and invest in our state,” he added. The Chief Minister also explained about the initiatives of creating social capital through women Self-help Groups. “SHG women have emerged as a strong and independent force in the state. They are rural entrepreneurs who lead and inspire the community, are financial independent and eventually, empower the society. They make their own goods and sell them online.” Meanwhile, an entrepreneur who has an industry in AP, said he suffered from lack of power for last five years. “After Chandrababu Naidu became the Chief Minister of new AP, within a few months, there were no power cuts,” he quipped, adding that he wanted to share his experience and show that in AP the government works. To this, the Chief Minister replied saying: “We have given priority to power sector. Now, we our T & D losses stand at 10.4%. We will soon bring it down to to single digit.”

Nunna Naresh

‘Development possible only through LEADERSHIP’

Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu answered questions from the audience as part of the Q & A session after his public lecture at the Institute of South Asian Studies (ISAS) in Singapore. Excerpts.

Q “Do you think that the following democratic tradition will constrain the efforts for economic development? What assurance can you give us that politics won’t trouble the new state efforts at development?

A It all depends on the quality of leadership. A motivating leadership and stable leadership can balance development. For example: The previous government at the Centre brought in the Land Acquisition Act. It made land acquisition impossible. But, to create a win-win situation for everyone in the state, I adopted the land pooling system where people responded to my call. We have procured 33,000 acres of land with land owners voluntarily giving their land, with the hope of getting better value for their land in future. Despite being a Democracy, we have completed such a massive task with people’s support.” Q What will AP do to help start-ups?

A In my last stint as the Chief Minister, I had promoted a lot of entrepre-

neurs. Now, I want to start-ups and MSMEs. I want to make Andhra Pradesh the Silicon Valley of India. We already have established a Startup Village in Visakhapatnam. We are also going to start the Innovation Fund. That apart, a venture capital fund and incubation centre are on cards.”

Q How are you balancing environmental concerns with fast clearances of projects? Can you do environmental impact assessments in such short time? A We will take all measures for environmental assessments and follow regulatons. Other routine clearances will be granted within 21 days. For a greener state, we will go in for massive plantation.”

Q Lot of students go abroad from India. Most from AP. What steps do you take to retain them in Andhra Pradesh? What steps do you take to encourage research in amaravati especially bioengineering?

ANDHRAPRADESHMAGAZINE.ORG

A I want to make AP an education hub. In my previous stint, I have increased the number of engineering colleges from 30 to 300. We also brought a lot of focus on biotechnology.

Q What are you doing to get good universities to AP?

A I’m networking with many worldclass universities. And, we are also inviting foreign faculty members to come as visiting professors to our colleges/universities.

Q What are your plans to improve quality of schools in AP? And also to improve the quality of teaching, vocational training?

A That (improving the quality of education) is the biggest challenge in India. We have to build skills, build capacities and inspire others by sharing experiences. That is how a culture of learning will seep in.

v OCTOBER 2015

First LNG Terminal On The East Coast Of India

Andhra Pradesh has reached a signiﬁcant milestone in its journey towards developing a gas grid in the State. The State Government signed two joint venture agreements for the establishment of an LNG Floating Storage and Re-gasiﬁcation Unit (FSRU) at Kakinada deepwater port.

ultinational oil and gas companies Royal Dutch Shell Plc and GDF Suez SA have signed a terminal company agreement with Andhra Pradesh Gas Distribution Corp. to build floating storage and regasification units with an initial investment of Rs 1,800 crore. They signed two in-principle agreements with the government of Andhra Pradesh and GAIL (India) Ltd to start a floating LNG terminal at Kakinada deep water port, not far from the oil and gas deposits of Krishna-Godavari (KG) basin. This will be the first LNG terminal on the East Coast of India. The first MOU is the Terminal Company Agreement between APGDC, GDF SUEZ and Shell. It supports the development/execution of the terminal. APGDC (a JV company between the Government of AP and GAIL), GDF SUEZ and Shell will have 48%, 26% and 26% equity in the project respectively. The second MOU is the Trading Company Agreement between GAIL, GDF SUEZ and Shell and covers both the sourcing of LNG and the marketing of the regasified LNG from the terminal. GAIL, GDF SUEZ and Shell will have 48%, 26% and 26% equity in the project respectively. OCTOBER 2015

The Kakinada LNG terminal will use the Floating Storage and Regasification Unit (FSRU) with a peak capacity of 5 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) with the provision to double the capacity. It will also use high-end technology and will be one of the first of its kind of PPP projects in India. The Kakinada port was found suitable for a project of this nature, owing to its availability of a natural break-water in the Hope Island – a barrier that protects against the impact of high seas. Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu described the LNG terminal as a great opportunity in the development of a project that shall ensure continuous availability of natural gas and support the government’s gas grid which is one of the five grids. “FSRU-based LNG project is the fastest and most cost-effective way to secure energy supply while bolstering sustainable development and simultaneously cutting down on pollution,” he said. “I’m fully committed to the project and am sure that these domestic and international partners, who have come together, will bring the best expertise, technology and speediness from all over the world to complete the project within 18 months.” Considering the state and country’s ANDHRAPRADESHMAGAZINE.ORG

need for energy, the Chief Minister added that there are opportunities aplenty for scaling up. “This will be the first LNG terminal on the East Coast of India. In my efforts to boost port-led development, I realize that this project will help us in making the state a logistics hub,” he added. BC Tripathi, CMD of GAIL, informed the state gas utility has been anchoring the project and expressed confidence in meeting the deadline of 18 months. “As a booming economy, we will support the state and the country in pushing this project and put in our best efforts.” Secretary (Infrastructure, Energy and Investments) Ajay Jain said that this is a step in making Andhra Pradesh a gas hub. “There are massive reserves of gas in the KG-D6 and we need to realize that this will be the only LNG terminal on the East Coast. So, if this project is successful and is completed within 18 months, it will be the best example of PPP projects in the country,” he said. Given that there is likely to be a shortage of gas of 15mmscmd and this might further drop to 40 mmscmd, the CM said this LNG Terminal would prove to be an important infrastructure for import of LNG on the eastern coast.

Bringing back the Telugu

CULTURAL HERITAGE

Masterpieces of Buddhist sculptures from Amaravati need to be restored back to the new capital city, where they belong. The State Government is expected to make a move in this direction.

taken out of the basement and displayed in a corner of the front hall.

he Andrha Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has directed the officials of the Tourism Department to make efforts to bring back the invaluable Amaravati sculpture. Stunning pieces of Amaravati, excavated during the 19th century by the British, found their way to museums in London and Chennai.

As many as 120 pieces depicting the famed Amaravati sculptures are housed at the British Museum in London. The stunning collection from Dipala Dinne area in Guntur district was excavated by the British two centuries ago and the sculpture shipped to the UK from Madras. Many others are lying unattended at Madras Museum. Depicting Buddhist themes ranging from a large stylised lotus to elephants and a five-headed snake, the sculptures were originally taken from a 2,000year-old stupa at Amravati in Guntur district of Andhra Pradesh. Built with local limestone called Palnad marble, the stupa was cased with carved panels

But nine years later, when the corrosive effects of air pollution became apparent, they were returned to the by now air-conditioned basement. Hauling up the slabs - the pillars alone weigh several tonnes each - to the refurbished first floor gallery presented a formidable problem. It required cutting holes in the floor and using heavy machinery.

which collapsed during the medieval period and were virtually buried. The slabs were excavated in early 19th century by the British and over 120 slabs were later shipped to the UK. The British Museum acquired the slabs in 1880 and displayed them along the front hall staircase. There they remained until 1940 when they had to be dismantled during the World War II Blitz of London. In 1950, they were ANDHRAPRADESHMAGAZINE.ORG

A glorious history

Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s daughter Dr Upinder Singh researched the journey of Amaravati sculpture in a study, “Amaravati: the dismembering of the Mahācaitya (17971886)”, which details the rather colourful history of the famed Buddhist site and its excavations. Amaravati (in modern Guntur district, Andhra Pradesh) on the banks of the Krishna River was a major Buddhist OCTOBER 2015

centre of ancient India. The history of this monastery complex spans some seventeen centuries, from its inception in the third century B.C to its demise in the fourteenth century A.D. Once abandoned, nature took its course, and the stupa gradually came to be enveloped in layers of dust and debris which eventually obscured it completely from sight. Then, towards the end of the eighteenth century, Amaravati was discovered by local zamindar Raja Vasireddy Venkatadri Naidu. This discovery was followed by the first documentation of the site by Colonel Colin Mackenzie. Mackenzie was the first to document the remains at Amaravati. His account (Mackenzie, 1807) indicates the condition of the site at the end of the eighteenth century. Mackenzie described a circular trench, about 10 feet wide and 12 feet deep, dug into a mass of masonry composed of bricks 16 inches square and 4 inches thick. "Ruins of Amravutty, Depauldina and Durnacotta," published posthumously in 1823 in the Asiatic Journal and Monthly Register. Mackenzie gave a detailed description of the modern town of Amaravati, describing the major buildings (including the Amaresvara temple), the chief festivals celebrated there, and local traditions associated with the area. He described the remains of an ancient fortified settlement at Dharanikota, situated some 500 yards from the western end of Amaravati town, and referred to other mounds in the vicinity. He also drew attention to some 17 or 18 megalithic stone circles about a mile west of Dharanikota. Mackenzie removed a number of sculpted stones from Amaravati. A fragmentary note written by him, dated 7th April 1817, and pasted onto the volume of drawings, states that 11 stones of Dipal-dina, including an inscription (i.e. an inscribed stone) were given over to the charge of Major Cotgrave at Masulipatam. These eventually found their way to Calcutta. Two were presented by Mackenzie to the Asiatic Society of Bengal, from where they were sent to the Indian Museum in Calcutta. The other nine pieces were sent to the East India Company's Museum on Leadenhall Street, London, probably some time after Mackenzie's death in 1821. In 1845, Walter Elliot, Commissioner of Guntur, visited Amaravati and indulged in some haphazard excavation. Accordng to Upinder Singh, Walter Elliot's excavations at Amaravati added next to nothing to the documentation of the site. What it did lead to was the largest haul of sculptures from the place. Elliot sent a large number of pieces to Madras, where they lay for many years in the open in front of the Medical College. In 1853, after the Court of Directors made inquiries about them, they were placed at the front entrance of the Central Museum "more or less exposed to the forenoon sun, but otherwise sheltered". The 121 "Elliot marbles" arrived in London in 1860 and remained at Beale's Wharf in Southwark for a year. This was the period when, in the aftermath of the 1857 Mutiny, the rule of the East India Company had made way for that of the British Crown. There was no place for the sculptures to go. In 1861, they were finally moved to the stables of Fife House OCTOBER 2015

They had their pride of place only in 1992, when 70 pieces out of the stunning collection, was put on display at the India Museum in London after nearly 30 years of oblivion in the basement of the museum where the India Museum had been housed. A few of the best pieces were placed along the outer wall of Fife House, while the rest continued to languish in the stables. They had their pride of place only in 1992, when 70 pieces out of the stunning collection, was put on display at the India Museum in London after nearly 30 years of oblivion in the basement of the museum. The exhibition was inaugurated by the Queen at the British Museum. According to an India Today report in 1992, the display was widely welcomed and appreciated by historians and art connoisseurs. "It makes my blood boil to see what the British looted from India," was the indignant reaction of an Indian woman visiting the magnificent new Josephe Hotung Gallery. The carvings had to be reconstructed schematically in an airconditioned and .dehumidified glass-room to prevent any

ANDHRAPRADESHMAGAZINE.ORG

Chennai Museum

British Museum

The collection in the museum in Chennai (formerly Madras) has a large number of sculptures in relief, which they have been classified by four periods of activity starting in the second century BC and stretching to the second century AD. The first period covers the 100 years between 200 and 100 BC, the second period covers 200 years from 100 BC to AD 100, the third covers AD 100 to 150, and the fourth covers 150 to 200. There is no purpose-built exhibition space for these sculptures, and in fact, reports say that since these valuable pieces were not put under air-conditioning, they are showing signs of damage due to weather conditions.

The collection in the British Museum consists of over 120 different pieces made from a limestone called Palnad marble. The segments can be divided into a number of categories, including parts of the stupa's toranas or gateways, and the symbolic wall connecting them, and parts of the stone facing of the mound dome of the stupa itself. They include pillars, crossbars and copings, drum frieze panels and slabs, pillar fragments, two guardian lions and a number of miscellaneous pieces, some of which date from later periods. In total, they represent the most important collection of ancient Indian sculpture outside the sub-continent. The separate exhibition space for Amaravati collection attracts thousands of visitors every day at the British Museum.

further damage by pollution. The glassroom, which provides the dramatic finale to the 110-m long gallery, was built with a Euro 500,000 (About Rs 37 crores)-gift from the Japanese newspaper Asahi Shimbun. The Japanese are predominantly Buddhists, and Asahi Shimbun is the largest newspaper in Japan. The collection at the Hotung Gallery at the British Museum had art critics raving. "One of the most elegant exhibition spaces In London - no, make that in the world," wrote one. As for the Amravati pieces, another commented: "You won't see anything like this in India itself." In fact, the awesome beauty of the carvings has been compared with the famed Elgin Marbles, according to the

India Today report.

India Today said that Dr Robert Knox, the museum's deputy keeper of Oriental Antiquities, points out that India never asked for the carvings to be returned. "I have every sympathy for this lady, but we're not brigands," he protested. "We are trying to show them to the world. Six million people come to the museum every year and this allows India to walk on to the world stage. To me, the carvings are the most important in the world." Half the Hotung Gallery is devoted to Chinese bronzes, jades, paintings, ceramics and Buddhist sculptures. The second half, which culminates in the Amravati sculptures, includes what the museum calls "the greatest collection of

ANDHRAPRADESHMAGAZINE.ORG

Indian religious sculpture outside the subcontinent". Among the masterpieces is a 1110 AD bronze figure of Nataraja. While the Amaravati sculptures at the British Museum are on a grand display with full care and protection, those remaining at the Government Museum in Chennai are in a pathetic state, languishing due to neglect. Many of the precious carvings have been severely corroded due to excess salt deposits. With the new state of Andhra Pradesh and its visionary Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu expressing determination to give Amaravati and its Buddhist heritage a pride of place in the lives of Telugus, we can hope to soon marvel at these precious pieces of our past heritage in the new capital.

OCTOBER 2015

TISS

To Help AP Increase Employability of Students good position in higher education, it is lagging behind in primary education. It is the responsibility of teachers to work with commitment and look after the welfare of students. Help transform the state into knowledge hub in future.”

he state government’s ‘Andhra Pradesh University Students Employability Skill Development Programme’ received support from the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) over implementation of programmes and activities related to the program. The Government of Andhra Pradesh inked an MoU with TISS for the implementation of National University Student Skill Development Programme (NUSSD), which aims to enhance employability skills of university students. The MoU was signed in Visakhapatnam on the occasion of Teacher’s Day, in presence of Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu and state HRD Minister Ganta Srinivas Rao. “We aim to transform Andhra Pradesh state into a Knowledge Hub by providing quality education and giving opportunities for students to develop employability skills among the Universities and Colleges in the state,” the Chief Minister said. The MoU involves strategic partnerships with civil society organisations, public sector bodies, private sector institutions and social entrepreneurship organisations to complement the efforts of the AP State Knowledge Mission, and accelerate its progress for achievement of the Mission objectives. A comprehensive skill development model has been developed that will have elements of English communication and soft skill, digital/computer skills, analytical skills, financial literacy, legal literacy, entrepreneurship, leadership development and will also add on a specialisation in a specific domain to OCTOBER 2015

The objectives of the MoU are

v To ensure significant, measurable increase in employability of students studying in universities and degree colleges in AP

v To form collaboration with higher institutes and industries for implementing the Employability Skill Development programme

make the graduating youth employable. The programme will be carried out through Jawahar Knowledge Centres (JKC) across the state and will also include some of the best courses and practices from National University students Skill Development Programme. During the three year graduation period, students can earn a Certificate in Management and Soft Skills (on completion of 1st year), Certificate in Domain (on completion of 2nd year) and Diploma (on completion of 3rd year). The Certificate programme and the diploma provided by TISS for this programme are approved by the Academic Council of TISS and are highly recognised by the industry. Calling upon teachers to help transform Andhra Pradesh into a knowledge hub, the Chief Minister said, "Education is very essential for development of the country and eradication of poverty. Though Andhra Pradesh stands at a ANDHRAPRADESHMAGAZINE.ORG

v To design curriculum by identifying local industrial needs to develop employable skills of the youth in colleges, particularly for rural SC and ST youth

To participate in developing a broader framework for assessment of technical education and engineering education to enhance the quality To strategically implement through advisory role as well as participate in monitoring and evaluation to suggest the mid-course corrections during the strategy implementation To assist in capacity development strategy and train master trainers in different skill sectors To facilitate linkages with Higher Education institutes to AP State Skill Development Corporation (APSSDC) at state level and National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) at national level.

E-GOVERNANCE e-pragati to pave way for

Andhra Pradesh government is all set to implement Rs 2,400 crore comprehensive e-governance project, named e-pragati, to simplifythe process of delivery of government and citizen services.

ndhra Pradesh becomes the first state in India to execute full enterprise architecture model in the form of e-Pragati. The state Cabinet has approved the implementation of the Rs 2,400 crore project, which essentially is a comprehensive e-governance project simplifying the process of delivery of government and citizen services. The success ratio, in terms of e-governance, has Andhra Pradesh in the numero uno position among the 29 states in our country. Going all-fortechnology, Andhra Pradeshâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s journey to the top began way back in 1999 with the introduction of online citizen services platform e-Seva, when internet was the fancy of a rather small section of society. e-Seva currently tops with a maximum number of etransaction involving state-level citizen services and money transfers under various welfare schemes, among all other states in India. The state of Andhra Pradesh registered 659.2 million e-transactions pertaining to state government services 7 months alone (January 2015 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; August 2015; as per the data released by the Department of Electronics and Information Technology, GoI). Andhra Pradesh accounts for close to 23 per cent of total e-transactions registered across the entire country. At all India level, the total number of e-transactions were registered at around 2.3 billion.

ANDHRAPRADESHMAGAZINE.ORG

OCTOBER 2015

The state government offers nearly 332 services through its online Mee Seva platform including utility bill payments, caste or family income certificates apart from making online payments to a cross section of citizens in terms of social welfare pensions, student scholarships or payment of treasury bills. And now, with the state already topping the country’s e-transactions, the government had rechristened the AP State Enterprise Architecture (APSEA) as e-Pragati. The state Cabinet accorded a formal approval to APSEA, has been a comprehensive architecture to leverage the latest advances in egovernance tools, which will bring all the government services under one roof. e-Pragati has been designed with an estimated investment of Rs 2,358 crore of which the State will share Rs 1,528 crore over a period of three years. The project is aimed at bringing together 745 G2B (government to businesses), G2C (government to citizens), G2E (government to employees) and G2G (government to governments) services offered by 33 departments and more than 300 government agencies. With e-Pragati, Andhra Pradesh also becomes the first state in India to conceive and execute state-wide enterprise architecture. The ground work for the ambitious project, which has been entrusted to IT major Wipro, has been going on since January. As many as 72 projects of various departments of similar nature such as welfare departments, works departments, land management wings and sectors (tourism, industries etc.) have been grouped under 14 packages. The government is gearing up to invite expression of interest from interested companies/enterprises for developing appropriate software programmes for the projects. “This will become a model in Government Enterprise Architecture in India,” Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu said, adding that Countries like South Korea, Singapore, the OCTOBER 2015

United States, Estonia, Norway, Denmark, Australia and New Zealand have all embraced this type of architectural approach to egovernance. “e-Pragati aims focuses on achieving a unified and connected government with citizen-centricity at its core. Implementation of e-Pragati will lead to free-flow of information among departments, paving the way for an integrated, outcome-driven and accountable government,” the Chief Minister said. The major components of e-Pragati revolve are 7 missions, 5 grids and 5 campaigns:

s AP Fibre Grid (to all gram panchayats)

s AP State Data Centre (to host all the data and applications)

s e-Highway (to seamlessly connect all the departments digitally)

s People Hub (to house all the

socio-economic data of the citizens of the state which will be used to implement welfare schemes and development programs)

AP Surpasses National Growth Rate

s Lab Hub (that contains details of all types of land parcels in the state)

s Dial AP (a unified contact/call

centre that the citizens can use to access a wide range of services)

s e-Learning platform (that pro-

vides learning and online material/education aid to enhance quality of education)

s Social benefits management system (that includes all benefits schemes)

s APcan (comprehensive system for management of cancer)

s m-Seva (a platform for providing a wide range of citizen services on mobile)

s e-AgriMarket (a platform that

enables farmers to sell their produce online to get the best price)

s e-Panchayat (enhances efficient of Panchayat Raj institutions).

v ANDHRAPRADESHMAGAZINE.ORG

he AP achieved a growth rate of 9.72 per cent in first quarter as against national achievement of 7.1 per cent.

Of the 9.62 per cent growth, agriculture accounted for Rs. 9854 crore, while industries accounted for 15,834 crore; the services sector achieved Rs. 32,504 crore taking the GSDP to Rs. 58,191 crore (at constant prices). Speaking at the Collectors Conference in Vijayawada, Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu said the government set a target of achieving 10.44 per cent GSDP this year. The government was aiming at 18 per cent growth in agriculture and allied sectors to reach Rs. 1,69,552 crore in 2015-16 as against Rs. 1,43,498 crore in 2014-15. The target for industry sector was 16 per cent to contribute Rs.124240 crore in 2015-16 to the GSDP as against Rs. 1,07224 in 201415. The services sector was expected to grow by 21 per cent to contribute Rs. 324307 crore in 2015-16 from Rs. 269307 in 2014-15. Andhra Pradesh has improved its performance during 2014-15 and occupied sixth place in the country relating to Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP). The State was in eighth place in 201314.

China’s LONGi To Set Up Solar Cell-Manufacturing Plant World’s Largest Solar Energy Equipment Maker To Invest In AP

hinese solar module maker Xi’an LONGi Silicon Materials Corp. will set up a solar cell and components factory in Sri City, with an initial investment of Rs 1,670 crore. The plant will have an annual capacity of 500MW and will employ 1,000 people. World’s largest solar energy equipment manufacturer, Xi’an LONGi Silicon Materials Corp of China, signed an MoU with Andhra Pradesh government for setting up a solar cell and module production unit in Sri City in Chittoor district, with an overall investment of nearly Rs 8,000 crore. Xi’an LONGi Silicon Materials Corp, which is amongst the top 5 global silicon wafer producers with four production bases in China and 3 GW of wafer capacity, will invest Rs 1,670 in the first phase. The company proposes to manufacture 1,000 MW solar cells and 1,000 MW solar modules in its 500 MW solar power park in the Sri City. The project is expected to employ 1,000 people. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed in New Delhi by the LONGi’s Chairman Baoshen Zhong and Principal Secretary (Energy, Infrastruc-

Xi’an LONGi inks pact with Government of Andhra Pradesh

ture and Investment), Government of Andhra Pradesh Ajay Jain, in presence of Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu. Another MoU was signed between Sri City (P) Ltd and Xi’an LONGi Silicon Materials Corp.

of Ease of Doing Business by the World Bank”, he added. The Chief Minister also elaborated on the opportunities in the capital city region and how Andhra Pradesh is focusing on creating the best ecosystem for the manufacturing sector.

Speaking on the occasion, Chief Minister Naidu said, “This is a very good investment from China in Andhra Pradesh. Solar power is the best solution for sustainable economic growth. I want to create a Solar Manufacturing hub in Andhra Pradesh. With the interest in the sector from solar manufacturing companies, I’m hopeful that more than 50% of India’s manufacturing capacity will be set up in AP in the long term. Currently, we share 10% of the country’s target for solar power.”

Mr. Baoshen Zhong, Chairman, Xi’an Longi Silicon Materials Corporation added, “This plant will manufacture state-of-the-art Solar Modules with higher efficiency than currently available systems. In this way, we are participating in both ‘Make in India’ as well as ‘Innovate in India’. This is just the first step, I’m sure we will invest much more and other companies will follow suit.”

Quoting the Chinese motto of ‘ScaleSkill- Speed’, Naidu said Chinese industries are known for innovation and superior quality and hence they could help AP in developing high quality power at affordable prices. “I Know, Scale, Skill & Speed is your motto. Bring all these S’ to us with the same enthusiasm. AP has been categorized as the second best State in the country in term ANDHRAPRADESHMAGAZINE.ORG

After signing the MoU, Ajay Jain said, “This is also a success story of ChinaIndia trade relations. Our Chief Minister had visited China in April this year, and several companies which we had met there, are now investing in Andhra Pradesh.” This is one of the major investments from a Chinese company in Andhra Pradesh following the visit of Chief Minister and the delegation from the Government of Andhra Pradesh in April this year..

OCTOBER 2015

ith MoUs inked between the state government and three top notch Indian mobile phone companies, the Sunrise State is all set to emerge as an Electronics Hub. The Indian Cellular Association, which had been scouting for an ideal location to locate the hub, has zeroed in on Tirupati after getting assurances on taxes and fast track logistics support to connect to Chennai.

Micromax, Karbonn Mobiles and Celkon – domestic mobile phone makers – are coming together to set up the country’s first mobile phone manufacturing hub at Tirupati, giving a fillip to Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu’s dream of making the state an Electronics Hub, as also the Union government’s Make in India initiative.

According to CM Naidu, this will be a huge boost to electronics manufacturing in Andhra Pradesh. "We recently had Xiaomi's entry into Andhra Pradesh, now we will have Micromax, Celkon and Karbonn Mobiles. I'm confident that these companies will create an electronics manufacturing ecosystem in the state," he said, adding that more companies means more jobs. In an attempt to create the ecosystem for electronic devices in the state, the Andhra Pradesh government has agreed to give VAT exemption to component makers for 10 years. This is in addition to the 10year VAT exemption promised to the three firms. “Manufacturers, if they come one by one, there will be an ecosystem,” Chief Minister Naidu said, adding, “We want to create this ecosystem.

State Emerging as Electronics Hub

Y Guru, CMD of Celkon and Kartikeya Misra, Director of Industries, Andhra Pradesh signing MoU OCTOBER 2015

ANDHRAPRADESHMAGAZINE.ORG

If you create the ecosystem, India will move very fast.” The State Government will set up the phone manufacturing cluster at Renigunta near Tirupati, with an aggregate investment of more than Rs 600 crore. The State Government has identified an 80-acre site at Renigunta to be allotted to the three companies through the Andhra Pradesh Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (APIIC). The three companies will manufacture smart phones, tablets and mobiles at the site. Operations are likely to com mence by March next year, said Director of Industries Karthikeya Mishra, who signed the MoUs on behalf of the State Government in the presence of Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu. The agreement will also serve to expand the supplier base and related services, while generating nearly 10,000 jobs. “Andhra Pradesh will be made a hardware hub and deliver the best ecosystem for industries to flourish. My aim is to promote local players and help them transform into global players,” the Chief Minister said. The three companies can look forward to a pledge made by the State Government to source devices from Indian manufacturers to supply to its employees. CM Naidu said purchase priority would be given to local manufacturers while sourcing tablets and other equipment. The Government has already distributed over 1 lakh tablets to government officials in the lower rungs of the bureaucracy and there are plans to provide 15 to 20 MBPS phone and internet connectivity to each household by March next year. The agreements signed with the three Indian mobile phone companies comes close on the heels of State Government’s tie-up with Foxconn, which has established a facility in the Sri City multi-product economic zone in Chittoor. This was followed by another agreement with Chinese mobile phone major Xiaomi at Visakhapatnam.

The Little Known Story of

VIZAG SEPOY RISING

tempt for them. Originally the native sepoys were recruited for local duties connected with revenue collection. But they were chartered for assignments in far away places with no incentives for duties beyond stipulated range. The British disdain for the locals compounded the grievances of no incentives. The British did not bother to take note of the obvious signs of discontent and remained callous. The war with Hyder Ali in the Carnatic weakened the British to a considerable extent.For the reinforcement of the troops in meeting the challenge posed by Hyder Ali there, Governor of Madras presidency John Whitehall requisitioned sepoy grenadiers from coastal districts. To this effect, he addressed a letter on September 14, 1780 to the then chief of Vizagpatam and Massulipatam settlements, James Henry Casamajor to keep in battle readiness for embarkation. While the sepoys from Masulipatam and Eluru obeyed the orders, their counter parts at Visakhapatnam defied it giving a heavy jolt of shock to the British.

Portraint of an Indian sepoy, who participated in Vizag uprising.

hanks to the indifference of our historians towards the local struggles against the British, many an inspiring uprising did not find place in history books. And first serious uprising of sepoys in Andhra Pradesh is no exception. Interestingly it is quite 77 years ahead of well-chronicled historic first war of independence 1857. Surely its scale and

spread is limited, nevertheless its spirit and courage is no less and its impact and influence is no different paving the way for later day revolts in this region. It took place on 3rd October 1780 at Visakhapatnam then popular as Vizagpatam. It had its origin in the callous indifference of the British officials to the service conditions of the native sepoys and their con-

ANDHRAPRADESHMAGAZINE.ORG

Under the command of Lysaught, the Sartine frigate arrived at Visakhapatnam to take the grenadier companies of sepoys. Till noon on October 3rd, 1780 everything was going on as per schedule. In fact, the company was ready for embarkation aboard the Sartine frigate under the command of Lysaught and even the mandatory parade was conducted before the chief. The officers drank for the success of the British arm and sat in company in a pleasant and placid state of mind on 3rd October, 1780. After the launch at the bungalow of their chief, officers of all the companies went down to witness the embarkation. But they were in for a shock as alarmingly uncommon noise rent the air around. On enquiry it was found out that the sepoys refused to go on board Sartine. The English officers rushed to OCTOBER 2015

the spot and tried to execute their orders. An altercation between some officers and sepoys frayed their patience and suddenly by 3 pm, sepoys trained their guns against the British and fired indiscriminately. The British officers ran helter-skelter for cover. Lieutenant Crisps, cadet Kingsford Vennerm and Robert Rutherford died on the spot. Charles Maxton got wounded in head and managed to rush into ship. Some sepoys helped seriously wounded captain Lane in getting into ship. However much targeted Lieutenant Brown providentially escaped from continual firing and reached the Sartine. Sergeant Ellis, Sergeant Crouse and Collins also managed to reach the ship swimming the entire stretch of the back waters. Several British officers took shelter in various parts of the town. Subedar Sheik Mohammad assumed the command of the rebels. Local chief Casamajor and many other European civil servants were taken into custody. The rebels freed a French spy from the British confinement and held their captives in the guardroom. Under tough interrogation Casamajor yielded the details of the British wealth in cash and gold in the town. It resulted in the total plunder of the property of the East India Company and the British individuals in the town. But for a kind heated sepoy, who prevented other sepoys from firing at the captives, Casamajor would have been shot dead. For more than a day the rebels lorded over the town and British writ did not run anywhere in town. It is believed that even the locals joined the rebels. The Company's cash amounting to Rs 21, 999 fell into their hands. It did not end with the killing of a few officers. The rebels were determined to liberate the district from the East India Company and join the forces of Hyder Ali to drive the British away from the country. The next day the rebels proceeded towards Hyderabad taking the captives along with them. After traveling for some considerable distance from the town they set the captives free. Though local Zamindars and rulers of Vizayanagaram remained mute spectaOCTOBER 2015

tors to the crisis. Gajapthi Nayana Dev of Kimedy rescued many Europeans from the wrath of the rebels and negotiated the release of Casamajor. In appreciation of this crucial assistance at the time of crisis the British reinstated him as the Zamindar of Kimedy. As the rebels left the town, the British took charge of their areas. They collected sepoys loyal to British and went after the rebels. Buckled under the pressure from the British, Vijayaramaraju, the ruler of Vizayanagaram, instructed local Zamindars under his control to check the march of the rebels. Acting accordingly, Berabhupathi of Golugonda refused permission for the sepoys to pass through his territory. The sepoys moved in different direction and faced Butler. In the fight that ensued many sepoys were killed and a few were captured, who were later granted general amnesty but those died in the ANDHRAPRADESHMAGAZINE.ORG

fight were many fold in number than those captured. However, Subedar Sheik Mohammad, who the British thought was the main conspirator for the revolt escaped. A few months later Subedar Sheik Mohammad was captured and was brutally executed. The revolt was short-lived and was crushed. However, it made one thing clear that the British were not invincible and could be challenged. This, in a way, emboldened some native chiefs to come together that led to Padmanabham battle in 1794. The British had learnt its lesson from the event and became more vigilant thereafter which helped them win the battle of Padmanabham.

Velcheti Subrahmanyam

State bats for best Public

HOUSING MODELS

ndhra Pradesh is set to emerge as a state with one of the best public housing models. The NTR Housing Programme, will undergo some major improvements as the state government is mulling changes like using pre-fabricated and pre-cast technology and introducing PPP model to make cost effective housing available to people. Stating that a place of residence should become an asset for the owners, Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu suggested standardisation of construction norms for public housing, at a meeting held on NTR Housing Programme. “Our houses should be of top quality. We should use the latest technologies in construction such as pre-fabricated structures and also experiment with the concept of incorporating green technologies into it so that temperatures in the house do not soar.” According to the Chief Minister, a PPP model of housing would work best as this will ensure transparency and efficient management of projects.

Expressing his dissatisfaction about the work of the previous governments, the Chief Minister said they “had brought bad image to the government by constructing low-quality, sub-standard housing which is inhabitable. They have not been able to make use of prime locations for public housing efficiently.” He suggested the Housing Department can confine itself to monitoring the projects while execution could be taken over by experienced global and national realty players. “Come up with a good public housing policy which will include quality, efficiency and social integration of cultures and races. Explore how we can create best colonies mixing Low income group (LIG), Middle income group (MIG) and High income group (HIG) by involving consultants, best international and national real estate players and construction companies. You can also explore if we can give some benefits to house owners who take care of their ageing parents or houses that save energy?,” the Chief Minister said, stating ANDHRAPRADESHMAGAZINE.ORG

an example of the Singapore model of public housing. Every colony should become a growth engine eventually, the Chief Minister explained, adding that gradually these places will emerge as an economic powerhouse through supporting activities. “Explore setting up a corporation or a panel including all experts (national and international) for rural and urban housing which will give ideas on best practices. Eventually, we should also set up a Bureau or a body that will monitor allotments and sale of the houses effectively without any discrepancies.” For urban housing, the Chief Minister suggested that the entire common infrastructure linking the colony or the project should be completed. To ensure that officials are equipped with necessary skills to deal with the upcoming large scale activity in the housing sector, the Chief Minister suggested capacity building workshops with experts from the field. OCTOBER 2015

On slum upgradation, the Chief Minister asked to assess the total area of the slum and the number of houses as part of it. “Based on this, can we decide the plinth area on pro-rata basis and that way, those owners who are willing to give some area of their site for common infrastructure can be given profit from the commercial/common infrastructure built in that area. Explore this option and chalk out a plan,” the Chief Minister added. For funding, synergize both Central housing as well as state housing schemes and find the best policy which reduces loan burden on house owners and enables government to give subsidy, the Chief Minister added. On the other hand, the Chief Minister also directed the department officials to explore the viability of pre-fab structures and work out the cost-benefit analysis of the technology. “Construct sample houses within a month. Organize district-level meetings with beneficiaries and seek a consensus on these structures. Assess the financial constraints too,” the Chief Minister said. The Chief Minister sought details on the number of people without houses or house sites in the state. He enquired whether the department had held any survey to get a headcount on the number of people without houses. To this, the officials responded saying they have taken the Census numbers into account. “Based on the property taxes, power bills paid, assess the total number of beneficiaries. Also, use Google maps to geo-tag existing house sites/structures,” the Chief Minister said, adding that the aim of the government is to enhance the quality of living of the beneficiaries by providing them quality, affordable housing. Under the Housing for Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) scheme, while the cost per unit (or house) stands at Rs 2.75 lakh, SC/ST beneficiaries will be given a subsidy of Rs 1 75 lakh and for others, a subsidy of Rs 1.5 lakh will be given. Meanwhile the loan granted for SC/ST beneficiaries on the house will be Rs 1 lakh and for others, Rs 1.5 lakh. The plinth area will be 275 sq.ft. The model house will have one multi-purpose room with 2 bedrooms and a toilet. The government is also exploring Ground+1 or Ground+2 models which depend on beneficiary acceptance and availability of lands. The specifications will include pre-fabricated/hybrid technologies, foundation, walling and roofing, external and internal plastering, kitchen and stair-case. About the cost for laying pre-cast foundation for these houses, “Explore collapsible wall concept too,” the Chief Minister suggested. OCTOBER 2015

FMCG Giant BRITANNIA To Invest Rs 125 Cr In AP

Britannia Managing Director Varun Berry Meets Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu

he Biscuit King’ Britannia has evinced interest in the state of Andhra Pradesh. With annual revenues standing at nearly Rs 7,176 crores and with 13 different biscuit brands, cakes, dairy products, breads and rusks in its portfolio, the FMCG giant is all set to setup an agro-processing unit in the state. The maker of Good Day and Tiger biscuits is is planning to invest Rs 125 crores in the state. FMCG major Britannia has evinced interest in setting up an agro-processing facility in Chittoor district of the state. The facility will serve Chennai and Bengaluru markets. Chittoor is strategically located between the two cities and houses plants of other FMCG companies, such as PepsiCo Inc. and Kellogg Co. Britannia Managing Director Varun Berry called on Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu said that the company is planning to commission the phase 1 of the project by the end of 2016. “We want to zero in on a location which helps us serve markets in Chennai and Bengaluru,” Berry told the Chief Minister, to which the latter said they could consider locating the unit in the Chittoor district as it allows the company to serve both the markets. He suggested the company could explore options in the dairy sector. Berry

ANDHRAPRADESHMAGAZINE.ORG

informed the Chief Minister that 75 per cent of the company’s business comes from biscuits while the remaining from cakes, dairy and rusk.

The Chief Minister explained the advantages in Andhra Pradesh and said, “We are focusing on agriculture and allied activities - horticulture, livestock, fisheries, dairy and poultry whose estimated growth rate for 2015-16 is 24 per cent with Rs 1.87 lakh-crore against Rs 1.43 lakh-crore in 2014-15.” In Andhra Pradesh, the Chief Minister said, the government is working to strengthen the Selfhelp Groups (SHGs). “To improve dairy production, we are giving back-end subsidy on fodder cultivation. SHG women will measure the yield from each animal and the fodder cultivation will be planned according to the yield,” the Chief Minister explained. Andhra Pradesh has the advantage in the fisheries sector, the Chief Minister said, continuing that the state stands at the top in shrimp production and wants to lead in exports of sea-food. “Our long coast on the East, abundant water and 14 ports give us the opportunity of being the logistics hub of South East Asia.” Berry appreciated the Chief Minister’s vision for Andhra Pradesh and said that the state will become the top state within 10-15 years. v

B The success of Baahubali and Srimanthudu in the international circuit has given a glimmer of hope for Telugu film industry to chart new territories across the world. It's an opportunity which is too good to let go for Telugu film industry, writes Hemanth Kumar. .

reaking arriers:

Why Telugu Cinema Has To Go Beyond Its Borders

n August this year, scores of Indians assembled in a movie theatre in Santiago, Chile for an unusual event. There was excitement in the air and all of them played a small part in what can only be termed as a magical moment. After all, it was the first time in the history of Chile that a Telugu film was going to be screened and that happened to be Mahesh Babu, Shruti Haasan starrer Srimanthudu. Incidentally, just a week before the film arrived on the shores of Chile, it was screened in Buenos Aires, the capital city of Argentina. Coincidentally, Srimanthudu was the first Telugu film to be screened in Argentina. And the film which opened the doors for Telugu movies in South America was Baahubali, when it was screened in July in Montevideo, Uruguay. Although Baahubali and Srimanthudu were screened just once in these three cities in South America, it's a huge leap forward for Telugu cinema and it's high time that our filmmakers embrace this opportunity to reach out to millions of NRIs. Any filmmaker worth his salt would vouch for the fact that the ob-

ANDHRAPRADESHMAGAZINE.ORG

OCTOBER 2015

session which Telugu people have for cinema is unparalleled and thanks to the IT industry, thousands of Telugu speaking populace are spread all over the world. Unfortunately, most of them live in countries which aren't in the radar of the producers and distributors in Telugu film industry. As a result, most of these people end up relying on pirated content to stay abreast with our films. Traditionally, most film producers have focused on countries like the US, Australia and Middle Eastern countries like UAE, Kuwait to rake on moolah outside the borders of India. With the market in the US maturing to a stage where a good film, starring an A-list actor like Mahesh Babu, Prabhas and Pawan Kalyan, has the potential to amass more than $2 million in under two weeks, it's now time for the film industry to focus on other countries like Canada, UK, South Africa, Germany, France, Malaysia which have turned into viable markets for Indian films, thanks to the popularity of Bollywood and Tamil Cinema. So what needs to be done? The first step would be to forget about short term gains. To quote an example, the producer of a popular Telugu film refused to let his film be screened in New Zealand because the local distributor wasn't ready to pay what the producer was expecting. The latter tried to reason that the Telugu speaking population in New Zealand is quite low and that it would be a risky proposition for him if he bought the film at an exorbitant price, more than what he can afford. Hypothetically, if the film was allowed to be screened there, the distributor and the producer could have pocketed a respectable sum of 10,000-20,000 New Zealand dollars. Similarly, a group of Indians had to move heaven and earth to get permission to screen Baahubali in Uruguay. At this point, it would be improbable that anyone is going to make profits in the initial stage; however, that's no reason why films shouldn't be screened in a non-traditional market. It's a process, which could take years to succeed and only in the long run will we see its benefits. A case in point - the theatrical rights of Rajinikanth starred Muthu were sold for just $1 to a distribution house in Japan in the 90s. Today, Rajinikanth is a noted star in Japan, has OCTOBER 2015

fan clubs on his name and several Japanese tourists pay a visit to his house in India when they come to India. Another factor is the exorbitant cost that one has to bear to ship a film print or even a hard disk, which contains the film, to a far flung country, apart from coughing up thousands of dollars to screen the film. As a result, the price of the tickets is hiked to make up for all the additional overheads, which deters several people from watching the film in first place. The third and the most important factor is the subtitles. It's high time that our filmmakers make it mandatory to add subtitles to every film which is screened outside Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. And we could take a cue from Bollywood or even Tamil film industry, both of which have been aggressively pushing their content in foreign markets. And if anyone is still wondering why it's even necessary to add subtitles, check out scores of blogs and tweeters from foreign countries on social media who have an appetite for Telugu films. The ANDHRAPRADESHMAGAZINE.ORG

bottom line is that if Bollywood has managed to reach out to so many people, there's no reason why Telugu film industry should hold itself back and miss an opportunity. The success of Baahubali and Srimanthudu has put the spotlight on Telugu cinema, and there's a genuine curiosity about the films that are coming out from the four film industries in the South. With Baahubali's international version slated for release later this year, it's a million dollar question if other filmmakers too would take a cue from the makers of Baahubali and reach out to a wider audience across the globe because the time is right for us to fly high. And every time a Telugu film is indeed screened in a foreign country or a film festival, it would be a good enough reason for us to celebrate.

Hemanth Kumar

BIA TO HELP MAKE AP KNOWLEDGE HUB

The world's largest and fast growing low-cost pre-primary and primary education services provider partners with Andhra Pradesh to make the state a Knowledge Hub.

Shannon May, Co-founder & Chief Strategy Officer of Bridge International Academies meets CM Naidu

ith an aim of providing quality education and giving opportunities for students to develop employability skills among the Universities and Colleges in the state, the state government under the leadership of Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu intends to make Andhra Pradesh a Knowledge Hub. “Education is very essential for development of the country and eradication of poverty. Though Andhra Pradesh stands at a good position in higher education, it is lagging behind in primary education,” the Chief Minister once said. Now, receiving a huge fillip to his dreams of making the state a Knowledge Hub, Bridge International Academies, a pre-primary and primary education provider, has expressed keen interest in partnering with the state government. BIA co-founder and chief strategy officer Shannon May called on Chief Minister Naidu and expressed their

desire to be associated with the development of education system in the state. She said BIA office would be set up in Vijayawada and later shifted to the capital city of Amaravati. The Chief Minister asked BIA to help support strengthen delivery of early childhood education, improve education and praised its efforts the world over and hoped it will help bring about a change in education system in AP. He said that the Group can use the low-cost technology it has pioneered in, to radically improve the learning outcomes through accountable delivery. About the Chief Minister, Shannon May said, “It is rare to find a visionary like Chief Minister Naidu who leads his government with data-driven decision making, a leader who sees the importance of school accountability in delivering learning outcomes for our children. We are looking forward to serving as a partner to Andhra Pradesh in the decades to come.” Bridge International Academies is

ANDHRAPRADESHMAGAZINE.COM

world’s largest and fast growing low-cost education services provider working with children from underserved communities for pre-primary and primary education. It is backed by leading investors such as Bill Gates (Founder, Microsoft), Mark Zuckerberg (CEO, Facebook), Khosla Ventures, IFC (World Bank Group), and others. Bridge International Academies currently educates hundred thousand children in more than 400 schools in Kenya, Uganda and Nigeria plans to foray into India with its proposed partnership with the AP government. It follows a standardized model for all its operations to streamline costs and allow for scalability. They also claim to be focused on collecting data at every step to assess and improve their programs. The instructional model used in the schools is direct instruction with carefully prepared scripts for teachers to follow. Their schools are "cashless", i.e., there are no cash payments. All payment, ranging from tuition fee payments by parents to paying for salaries and equipment, is done using mobile phones. With this partnership between the Government of Andhra Pradesh and BIA, the education sector in the state is all set to transform. The state government has time and again shown its commitment of providing quality education by bringing reforms, like e-learning which it is introducing in schools across all the13 districts in the state, introduction of bio-metric system for monitoring mid-day meals, higher transparency in education and punctuality of teachers. In this year’s budget, the state government has allotted a whopping amount of Rs 16,000 crores for a transformation in the Education Sector. v

OCTOBER 2015

chief ministerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;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.

w w

OCTOBER 2015

Compiled by Shruti

ANDHRAPRADESHMAGAZINE.COM

Amazing Andhra Pradesh

LAMBASINGI the Kashmir of AP

ANDHRAPRADESHMAGAZINE.ORG

OCTOBER 2015

A hidden gem in South India, Lambasingi is a perfect getaway place, surrounded with hills, dense forests and unbelievable ﬂora and fauna. The only place to be covered in a blanket of ice in Andhra Pradesh, Lambasingi is a hill station paradise of South India.

magine you are at a really calm place and fog is spread in everywhere. You smell fresh air, see greenery everywhere around you, and altogether find solace... Nestled at an altitude of 2,600 feet above sea level, the tiny hamlet of Lambasingi is one of the coolest places in Andhra Pradesh. A land once anonymous and undiscovered, Lambasingi earned the sobriquet of ‘Andhra Kashmir,’ with night temperatures often falling to sub-zero level. Picturesque beauty, dense foliage, chilled weather and mist makes the places even more mysterious and amazing. Laden with rich natural beauty, Lambasingi has been a high tourist flow off late. Wrapped in foggy climate, the place also attracted many shutterbugs and nature lovers from across the country. Lambasingi is also known as Korra Bayalu (korra – stick, Bayalu - outside) in the local language this means “if someone stays outside the house in the open they will freeze like a stick.” The Andhra Pradesh Government in association with the Union Ministry of Tourism will give a facelift to the hill station. As part of the facelift planned, a resort will come up in an area of six acres at a cost of Rs 5 crore, and a botanical garden in an area of 37 acres at a cost of Rs 4 crore is also on the list. The Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (APTDC) recently sent a detailed project report (DPR) of the projects to the Centre, which has assured to financially support the corporation. The state government, on its part, has supported the project by converting the forest and tribal land and transferring it to the Tourism department to be used only for tourism development purpose. For a quick getaway to a pristine place of scenic beauty, Lambasingi is bang on! OCTOBER 2015

attractions: a Lambasingi is known for its picturesque natural beauty, impressive wa-

terfalls, stunning valleys, and sprawling pepper and coffee plantations. These entire plantations are being cultivated since the British Regime in India. Coffee grown here is exported to the USA.

a Snowfall, fall which can hardly be seen in the entire South India, can be

seen in this place as temperatures go no higher than 10 °C. In winters, the temperatures drop to as low as 0 °C. Travellers to this region will be astonished to observe that the villages which are close (as close as even 10-15 Kilometres) to Lambasingi have normal temperatures of between 25-35 degrees.

a Greenery and valleys are important areas that you can cover. Some

spots are famous for trekking and adventure events like camping. However, walking the area will give you more enjoyment as you will be able to watch the natural beauty closer.

how to reach Lambasingi is well connected by roads. It is 107 kilometres from Visakhapatnam, 19 kilometres from Chintapalle, 32 kilometres from Narsipatnam and 154 kilometres from Balabhadrapuram. The nearest airport is the Vishakhapatnam Airport. State buses and taxis are available to reach Lambasingi from Vizag. It is well-connected via NH 5. The nearest railway station is Chintapalle, situated at a distance of 19 km from the town.

accommodation A trip of Lambasingi is that of absolute adventure. Andhra Pradesh Tourism has added Lambasingi into its Tourism map, in a bid to make the state a Tourism Hub, APTDC is soon going to set up resorts and restaurants as the place gains popularity. Currently, accommodation facilities are available at Valley Resort and Haritha Mayuri in Araku and Haritha Hotel, Haritha Beach Resort and Haritha Jungle Bells in Vizag. The governmentowned Haritha group of hotels have air-conditions suites, rooms and standard rooms.

Shruti Mathur

ANDHRAPRADESHMAGAZINE.ORG

HAPPENING AP

la Cabs has partnered Andhra Pradesh government to invest Rs 150 crore and add 40,000 vehicles to its platform over the next three years. The proposed investment will encourage driver entrepreneurship and create employment opportunities in the state. Currently, Ola has over 10,000 vehicles on its platform in Andhra Pradesh. Mobile technology-driven transportation apps like Ola can play a major role in creating job opportunities for thousands of people in the state as well as provide timely and eﬃcient transportation for all.

n order to reduce dependency on hydro and thermal power and promote non-conventional energy, the state government has decided to implement various ecofriendly initiatives in seven major temples in the State. The government is keen on implementing the plan of action within the next six to nine months. The temples identiﬁed under the project are: Kanaka Durga temple (Vijayawada), Varaha Narasimha Swami temple (Simhachalam), Satyanarayana Swamy temple (Annavaram), Venkateswara Swamy temple (DwarakaTirumala), Srikalahastheeswara temple (Srikalahasti), Sri Mallikarjuna Swamy temple (Srisailam) and Varasidhi Vinayaka Swamy temple (Kanipakam).

ingapore-based Sembcorp Industries has commissioned the second and final 660MW unit of the $1.5bn coalfired power plant in the coastal town of Krishnapatnam. The 1,320MW power station, which is the first power project of Sembcorp in India, features two units. Each of the unit has a power generation capacity of 660MW with the first unit already being operational since April.

PS will be installed in all 12,000 buses of Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation before October 12 to monitor their movement. The monitoring with GPS will enable the depot-level staﬀ to inform the passengers about the arrival and departure of buses in advance, which would ultimately improve occupancy. The APSRTC management is focusing on improvement of occupancy of the buses from the existing 72 per cent. The management is also concentrating on fuel consumption eﬃciency from the existing 5.17 kmpl to 5.27 kmpl for each bus.

delegation from China Railway 23rd Bureau Group Co. (International) Ltd. (CCRC) met Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu to outline the areas in which Andhra Pradesh and CCRC could work together. Dong Fengie, General Manager, Overseas, CCRC said they are keen to work in sectors like railways, metro rail projects and multi-purpose dam projects. The Chief Minister has asked the CRCC executives to participate in the tenderbidding process for the metro rail in Vijayawada and Visakhapatnam. He also explained that there are numerous opportunities for investors in infrastructure, airports, ports and the housing sector in Andhra Pradesh.

o enhance the quality of education in colleges and universities of the State, the Government of Andhra Pradesh has decided to form a 3-member committee which will submit a report on October 1st by identifying deﬁciencies, indicating gaps in the higher education system and suggesting interventions to repair the higher education system. The Chief Minister reprimanded oﬃ-

cials for not making interventions to bring results and efficiency in the system. The Chief Minister said that the performance of lecturers and every person in the system should be linked to the outcome. One of the first steps, the Chief Minister said, should be to sensitize staff and motivate them to work.

ore than 12 years after the foundation stone was laid in 2003, Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu released water from the Thotapalli Irrigation Project, turning the long-cherished dream of the farmers of Vizianagaram and Srkakulam into reality. The Sardar Gouthu Latchanna Thotapalli Project will irrigate an ayacut of 1.35 lakh acres, besides stabilising 64,000 acre ayacut in Vizianagaram and Srikakulam districts. Under phase-1, water will be released into the right canal to supply irrigation water to 50,000 acres ayacut. The water to the remaining 85,000 acres will be supplied in a phased manner. The irrigation facility is already being provided to about 64,000 acres through the left canal of the project for the past few years.

team of Japanese officials called on Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu and evinced interest in financially aiding the development of Amaravati. During a meeting, they informed the Chief Minister that they would come up with specific proposals to fund the development of AP's capital city through the Japan Bank for International Co-operation (JBIC). The delegation also said they will come up with proposals to finance metro rail projects at Visakhapatnam and Vijayawada through the Japan International Co-operation Agency (JICA).

n an endeavour to promote collaboration with International institutions in Higher Education, Thailand’s Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) has agreed to transfer the technology and help in establishing Andhra Pradesh Fisheries and Ocean University. Bhimavaram-based Uddaraju Ananda Raju (UAR) Foundation of Ananda Group of Companies has come forward to establish Andhra Pradesh Fisheries and Ocean University in West

ANDHRAPRADESHMAGAZINE.ORG

OCTOBER 2015

Godavari district. The new university, proposed under Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) mode would be constructed in about 150 acres. In this regard, UAR Foundation has entered into a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) with the AIT recently. The MoA between will enable to hold orientation programmes and workshops for aqua farmers.

he government of Andhra Pradesh is planning to introduce mobile veterinary services where veterinary doctors travel to treat animals in villages. This was decided in a review meeting on Animal Husbandary, Livestock and Fisheries. Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu suggested the oﬃcials to take up another innovative idea of entrusting the job of collecting data on livestock by training DWCRA women. This will not only help obtain data on the number of livestock but also help assess the milk production from each animal.

ith the Indian Start-up Ecosystem witnessing an unprecedented surge in investments, the Government of Andhra Pradesh aims to make the state rise on the Global Start-up Map. In this direction, Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu has recently launched the “Integrated Risk Guarentee Scheme for Support to Public Private Partnerships in Creating World-Class Technology Business Incubators (TBI).” Under this scheme, the government plans to create ﬁve world-class incubators with Rs 750 crore investment over the next four years. The total investment will bring 500,000 Sq Ft of incubation infrastructure across Andhra Pradesh creating a density that would create a mini silicon coast as the ﬁrst core cluster of a start-up ecosystem. Areas targeted are futurist technologies like Mobile-Internet, Internet of Things, Social Media, Analytics and Cloud (SMAC), Electronics, Fabless Semiconductors etc. The selection process is open throughout the year and non exclusive.

n order to strengthen the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), the government will be spending a signiﬁcant amount on training SDRF in rescue and relief operations during emergency situation. Further, the government also plans to deploy around 600 personnel from the Andhra Pradesh Special Police (APSP) battalions on deputation in the SDRF. As part of this plan, new ﬁre stations will be set up in major cities and towns. These stations will also be used for disaster management training facilities by NDRF personnel.

nviting industrialists from Republic of Korea to invest in Andhra Pradesh, State Chief Secretary IYR Krishna Rao said a Korea Desk would be set up to facilitate investors. Drawing upon the historical linkage between the two

OCTOBER 2015

countries, the Chief Secretary said the relations between the India and South Korea was cultural and not commercial and emphasised on the need to strengthen the two millennia-old relationship that began with Princess of Ayodhya marrying King of Korea in AD 48.

hief Minister Chandrababu Naidu has appointed senior IRS oﬃcer J Krishna Kishore CEO of AP Economic Development Board (APEDB). Kishore, who was till recently PS to TDP MP and Union aviation minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju, has been sent on deputation to the AP government for three years and will be the key man for attracting foreign investment to Andhra Pradesh. CM Naidu will be the chairman of this board and Kishore will work closely with him. The APEDB seeks to ensure ease of doing business in Andhra Pradesh and making it the number one destination for investments. It seeks to take the state towards double digit growth.

n a signiﬁcant development, which might enable rapid infrastructure growth in power sector in Andhra Pradesh, the Rural Electriﬁcation Corporation (REC), a public sector company, has agreed to provide a loan assistance of Rs 9,000 crore to APGenco for setting up of power projects in the State. An MoU was signed between APGenco and REC in the presence of Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu in New Delhi. Out of loan, Rs 3,000 crore would be used for setting up of 500 MW solar power projects in Anantapur district and the remaining Rs 6,000 crore would be used for transmission and distribution network in AP like under-ground cabling, gas insulated sub-stations, transmission and sub-transmission system improvement.

iving thrust to the Andhra Pradesh’s power sector, World Bank has readied to provide Rs 2,400 crore ﬁnancial aid to the state to take up reforms in the sector. That apart, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has also sanctioned Rs 295 crore for the implementation of High Voltage Distribution System (HVDS) project to reduce distribution losses and provide quality power supply to the agriculture sector in state. The state government has eﬀectively brought down T&D losses to 10.54 % by August this year against the 17.05 % recorded in 201011. Due to this, the state was able to save around Rs 1,950 crore by adopting power saving reforms during the last 18 months. The Energy Department is now targeting to further reduce T&D losses between 5-6% on par with international standards by 2016-17. The government is also planning to invest Rs 27,000 crore in the power sector in the coming years to ensure quality power supply to its consumers.

ANDHRAPRADESHMAGAZINE.ORG

INDUSTRY SECTOR

a Industry sector is a key growth driver of achieving Vision

2029

a The sector has contributed 23% to GSDP (at constant

prices) in the last decade

a Accounted for over 20% (Rs 1.07 lakh crore) of state’s GDP

in last ﬁscal (2014-2015)

a Contribution in current FY expected to increase to Rs. 1.24

lakh crore (15.87% increase)

Largest contributors to industry sector a) Construction – 41%

b) Manufacturing (registered) – 30%

INDUSTRY

c) Manufacturing (unregistered) – 13%

d) Mining & Electricity– 9%

e) Water Supply & Gas – 9%

a Construction sector is the fastest growing at CAGR of over 17.8% between 2004-05 and 2014-15 a Mining growing at a pace of 16.5%

a The Sector witnessed compound annual growth rate of

11% during 2005-06 to 2014-15

a Industrial Sector is expected to contribute 25% to state

GDP by 2020

a 30% contribution of the sector is targeted for 2029

ELECTRICITY, GAS & WATER 2015-16 – Rs 10,598 crores

2013-14 – Rs 98,097 crores 2014-15 – Rs 1, 07,224 crores 2015-16 – Rs 1, 24,240 crores

MINOR MINERALS

2015-16 – Rs 7,284 crores

CONSTRUCTION

MAJOR MINERALS

2013-14 – Rs 39,349 crores 2014-15 – Rs 43,159 crores 2015-16 – Rs 50,007 crores

2015-16 – Rs 3,331 crores

MANUFACTURING (Registered) 2013-14 – Rs 29,360 crores 2014-15 – Rs 31,893 crores 2015-16 – Rs 36,955 crores

MANUFACTURING (Unregistered) 2013-14 – Rs 12,210 crores 2014-15 – Rs 13,865 crores 2015-16 – Rs 16,065 crores

ANDHRAPRADESHMAGAZINE.COM

OCTOBER 2015

GOVERNANCE TO THE PEOPLE

hough Hyderabad remains joint capital for many more years to come, Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu has decided to function from Vijayawada to be closer to the people and the local adminstration. Accordingly, he has been spending most of his time in make-shift oﬃces in Vijayawada till he moved to the Camp Oﬃce. He also leased out a temporary residence, through the facilities at the moment are very limited. Here are a few pics of the CM at the karmabhoomi. Pic 1:

Pic 2: Pic 3:

Chief Minister moved to the new Camp Oﬃce at Vijayawada. Seen on the auspicious occasion are Deputy CM N China Rajappa, Minister Y Ramakrishnudu, MLA Balakrishna and Chief Secretary IYR Krishna Rao. CM addressing the two-day Collectors’Conference held at Vijayawada. CM greeting Muslims on the eve of Bakr-Eid.

Regd. No. H-HD-1082/2013-15 Published on: 01/10/2015

APENG/2007/20679

Posting Dt: 6th