CII Director-General Chandrajit Banerjee has said Andhra Pradesh State has evoked a lot of interest in the business leaders across the world making an impressive mark on Davos proceedings.
During an interaction with Baneerjee, Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, on the fourth day in Switzerland, requested him to help set up centers of Innovation for creating skilled workforce and facilitate flow of investments. After a meeting with Dominic Barton, Global CEO, McKinsey & Company, the Chief Minister said they will bring in best practices for structuring the capital city and market tourism and investment potentials. Recalling his association with the company going back to 1996-97, Chandrababu said McKinsey played a vital role for Vision-2020 for the united Andhra Pradesh State. McKinsey is serving as a consultant to the Government of Andhra Pradesh to help mobilise private and global financing for Amaravati.
Prakash Lohia of Indorama Synthetics met the Chief Minister and evinced interest to invest $500 million in the State. He said Indorama is the largest producers of plastic bottles and surgical gloves in the world, with plants in Indonesia and Africa.
Responding positively, the Chief Minister explained about the industrial-incentive policies in the State and assured him that all clearances will be given at the earliest. A team from Indorama will visit Andhra Pradesh in March to conduct a study.
Shinichi Kitaoka, President, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) said India is back in focus for them now, elaborating on the advantages of demographic dividend, technology penetration and huge market demand.
The Chief Minister said, “Andhra Pradesh offers a lot of opportunities to Japan. Construction of People’s Capital – Amaravati, is a big opportunity. We want to complete Phase I of construction by 2018”. He also invited Kitaoka to visit Andhra Pradesh to which he gladly agreed.
Another industrialist John T Chambers, Executive Chaiman, CISCO, said they will set up a working group, consisting of two sides: to study the requirements and the opportunities. Explaining various e-initiatives launched by the State government, the Chief Minister said he aims to provide 15 to 20 Mbps connection to each household. (NSS)