Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy said despite a global economic downturn and the COVID-19 pandemic, exports from Andhra Pradesh have grown by 19.4% (value) in the past couple of years, leading to an improvement in the contribution to national exports. He said the State jumped to the fourth position in the country in 2020-21 with a 5.8% contribution to national exports from the ninth position in 2018-19.
Mr. Jagan was addressing the inaugural session of the two-day Vanijya Utsavam (Andhra Pradesh Trade and Exports Carnival) organised jointly by the State and Central governments on the occasion of Vanijya Saptah in commemoration of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav in Vijayawada on Tuesday. Mr. Jagan, along with Chief Secretary Aditya Nath Das, Minister for Industries and Commerce M. Goutham Reddy, CYIENT founder and chairman B.V.R. Mohan Reddy and others inaugurated the carnival and also unveiled the Andhra Pradesh State Export Action Plan 2021.
Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy said that the country faced overwhelming challenges during the past two years, and for the first time in the two decades, the country has seen a contraction of 3.38% in gross tax revenue collections which declined from 20.80 lakh crore in 2018-19 to 20.10 lakh crore in 2019-20.
“The country’s GDP growth in constant terms was 6.3% during the 2018-19 and has dropped to 4% in 19-20 and to -7.3% in 20-21. The country’s exports have also shrunk by 11.6% from USD 330 billion to USD 292 billion over the last two financial years. This was the plight of the country during these two years. Yet, Andhra Pradesh exports have grown by 19.4% from USD 14.1 billion to USD 16.8 billion,” Mr. Reddy said.
“Our GSDP contraction was only 2.58% in the COVID year 2020-21 while country’s GDP was 7.3%. This performance of the State stands testimony to our belief that right infrastructure and enabling policies are very important for industrial development in growth and augemention of exports,” he said.
Industries growth
Mr. Reddy said that 16,311 MSMEs were established with an investment of ₹5,204 crore and 1.13 lakh jobs were provided.
“During the last two years, 68 large and mega industries have been facilitated to commence with an investment of ₹30, 175 crore and 46,119 job opportunities. Also, 62 large and mega projects are under active implemention with a total investment of ₹36,384 crore and 76,960 jobs. In the last one year alone we have approved 10 mega projects with an investment intent of ₹26,391 crore and an employment potential for 55,024 people,” he said.
Kopparthi mega industrial hub
The State is developing a mega industrial hub in Kopparthi in Kadapa district in an extent of 3,155 acres. The hub will act as a multi-product mega industrial park with best in class infrastructure facilities. The hub brings in an investment of ₹25,000 cr and provide about one lakh jobs, he said.
About other projects in the pipeline, Mr. Jagan said that the State is setting up a greenfield steel plant in Kadapa with an outlay of ₹13,500 crore and with a partnership with GAIL, a gas distribution network to secure availability of gas for both domestic and industrial purposes has been taken up.
He said the State’s port capacity will increase by 65 million tonnes per annum with the completion of three ports in Bhavanapadu, Machilipatnam and Ramayapatnam. The current port capacity in the State was 254 million tonnes per annum.
“Given the proximity to neighbouring States, these three ports would contribute significantly to India’s foreign trade growth and promote port led industrialisation in a very big way,” Mr. Jagan said.
He said secondary food processing units coming up in 25 parliamentary constitutions will support farmers and also lead to value addition which would increase export and create 30,000 jobs directly and 50,000 jobs indirectly.
Eight fishing harbours being developed in the State will benefit 76,230 fishermen and create over 35,000 jobs besides an increase in exports, he said.
“Andhra Pradesh currently contributes 5.8% of national exports and we aspire to double this by 2030. To attain this goal we have formulated a comprehensive roadmap,” he said.
Mr. Jagan invited the stakeholders to drop in suggestions or request for support and assured the best support and cooperation.
