Hyderabad, September 01: At last, the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, would lay foundation stone for the NTPC-BHEL joint venture Mannvaram Power Projects Equipment Manufacturing plant on September 1 in the State.
The Rs 6,000-crore Plant would come up at Mannavaram in Chittoor district. The project was originally mooted during the regime of former chief minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy.
Though the Prime Minister was expected to lay the foundation stone for the project in September last year, the programme was put off after the tragic death of Dr Reddy in a helicopter crash on September 2 last.
At one stage, speculations were rife that the mega plant was moving to other States. There was significant competition from various States for the prestigious project. However, late YSR successfully convinced the Centre and the two Joint Venture partners to consider the State for the location of the project. It was estimated that about 6,000 direct jobs would be created in the project in addition to indirect employment to over 25,000 people.
After the Visakhapatnam Steel plant, Mannavaram plant would be second biggest industry in the State.
The State government has provided about 750 acres of land for location of the plant at a nominal rate of Rs100 per acre and promised to provide other required infrastructure including a four-lane road connecting the project site to the national highway.
The power equipment project is scheduled to begin its commercial operations in 2013-14. The plant will be setting up a fabrication unit at the project site to commence construction activity which may provide immediate employment to locals.
The prime minister will reach Tirupathi at 10. 30 am and from there he went to mannavaran in a helicopter and lay foundation stone to Mannavaram project at 10.44 am. He return to Tirupati and have darhsan of Lard Sri Venkateshwar Swamy in Tirmala. He will also lay foundation stone to International Airport at Renikunta at 4.20 pm. Then after, the Prime Minister will leave to New Delhi at 5.20 pm.The Chief Minister, Mr K Rosaiah, and several ministers will attend the functions.
——–NSS