Andhra’s $2.4 Trillion Ambition: Naidu Greenlights Steel & Google Giants

N. Chandrababu Naidu, Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, recently announced in the State Legislative Assembly that the foundation stone for the ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India plant in Anakapalli will be laid later this month, while the foundation for a Google data centre in Visakhapatnam is scheduled for April.

Speaking during a discussion on departmental grant demands, the Chief Minister said the State had successfully attracted major investments, including a ₹6,000 crore investment by the Tata Group. He credited these developments to the efforts of the Telugu Desam Party-led coalition government to restore Andhra Pradesh’s investment image, which he claimed had been weakened during the tenure of the YSR Congress Party government.

Mr. Naidu stated that Andhra Pradesh is aiming to become a $2.40 trillion economy by 2047. To support industrial growth, the government has introduced 26 sector-specific policies to accelerate approvals for businesses and is working to establish industrial parks in all 175 Assembly constituencies. He added that granting industry status to tourism has helped boost the largely untapped sector.

The Chief Minister also said the government has facilitated employment for 6.28 lakh people, including 30,500 jobs through mega DSC and police recruitment drives. He noted that the economic regions of Amaravati, Visakhapatnam, and Tirupati will act as key growth engines. According to him, shifting the focus from “Ease of Doing Business” to “Speed of Doing Business” has strengthened the State’s competitiveness in attracting investments.

Highlighting public health and “Brand AP” as government priorities, Mr. Naidu said the State is working on a Universal Health Policy that would provide free medical treatment up to ₹2.50 lakh per citizen. Medical colleges are also being developed under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model, while remaining government-owned assets.

Addressing the alleged liquor scam, he said findings by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) indicate possible irregularities amounting to around ₹10,000 crore. He informed the Assembly that a Cabinet Sub-Committee has been formed to reform the excise system and alleged that nearly 30,000 deaths occurred between 2019 and 2024 due to the consumption of substandard liquor.

News by Rahul Yelligetti.