Centre is keen on Andhra Pradesh’s development: AP BJP chief

ndhra Pradesh BJP president and Member of Parliament K Hari Babu said here today that the Centre is keen on Andhra Pradesh’s development.

Interacting with reporters here, he said that institutions mentioned in the AP Re-organisation Act like IIT and IIM have been already allocated to Andhra Pradesh, while the Centre is considering setting up other institutions like Indian Institute of Packaging as well as Indian Institute of Foreign Trade in Andhra Pradesh.

He said that the union government has asked the NITI Aayog to study if special status or a special economic package would benefit the state more.

He said that aquaculture exports from AP has crossed Rs 12,000 crore and there is potential for further growth in that sector.

He said that the state must set up an independent Andhra Pradesh Agricultural Products Export Promotion Council to promote export of agricultural products.

The trade policy announced by the Union Ministry of Commerce has prioritised development of Visakhapatnam and Bhimavaram as aquaculture excellence zones to promote aquaculture exports from the state, as well as sanctioned an aquaculture exports testing lab at Visakhapatnam, he said.

He said that since the centre has taken responsibility to complete the Polavaram project, it would be completed within four years.