Hyderabad|India|March'2010: The Chief Minister K Rosaiah said that Andhra Pradesh is all geared up to attract huge Industrial investments. He said the State Government is planning to announce more sops for new industries in the industrially backward districts in the new industrial policy that is on the anvil. Accordingly, the Government planned to categorise the districts on the basis of their industrial development, offering attractive incentives and concessions to the investors and industrialists who set up new units in the backward areas. The Chief Minister said given the potentially huge cotton crop in the State, the Government is contemplating a special textile policy to promote more spinning and weaving mills so as to make use of these cotton stocks.

The Chief Minister thanked investors and industrialists, particularly the Multinational IT Companies for reposing faith in the steps taken by the State Government to provide security to the units. He said that in spite of the recent disturbances, Andhra Pradesh continues to be well ahead in industrialisation and economic development. "Come, invest in Andhra Pradesh -- the land of innumerable opportunities", Mr. Rosaiah exhorted the investors.

The Chief Minister said five major factors --- Hyderabad International Airport being ranked as world's best airport in its category, ISB among the top-12 business schools, World Bank rating for Hyderabad, RBI report which ranked A.P. as the second best investment destination and the proposed new rail lines --- will help Andhra Pradesh in attracting investments.

"We are first among the best in many sectors. We have the best infrastructure facilities, most attractive industrial policy, lowest power tariff, abundant natural resources and vast skilled and unskilled human resources. The economic position of the State is sound and expressed as well. Hence don't miss the bus", he told some of the industrialists who called on him at his residence. Principal Secretary, Industries, Mr Sam Bob was present. The Chief Minister has suggested the Minister for Major Industries, Mr. Kanna Laxminarayana over telephone to study the impact of new Industrial Policy before announcement, keeping in view the employment generation.

Recalling Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan's recent comments in New Delhi on safety of industries in the State, the Chief Minister said this is the time "BRAND HYDERABD'" is sold globally. He said a task force under a senior IPS officer of IG rank has been created to safeguard the interests of industries in general and IT companies in particular.

The Chief Minister said the number of Special Economic Zones and the development of Petroleum, Chemical and Petrochemical Investment Region (PCPIR) in the long coastal corridor of the State (Visakhapatnam-Kakinada) spanning 603.58 sq. km will give a great thrust not only to industrialisation but also to the overall development of the State in the days to come. A special Development Authority i.e. Visakhapatnam-Kakinada Petroleum, Chemical and Petrochemical Investment Region Special Development Authority has been constituted for planned growth of the area by making a master plan for providing required infrastructure and necessary civic amenities etc.

Mr Rosaiah said Andhra Pradesh is already on the fast track of development and nothing can stop the State from attaining the Number 1 slot in industrialisation and economic progress in the near future. He recalled that a report by the Reserve Bank of India ranked Andhra Pradesh second in the country with total investment intentions totaling Rs.25,173 crore and projects numbering 105. He said the pride of Hyderabad like the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport was declared as the best airport in the world in the 5 to 15 million passengers category. He said the airport was declared the fifth best airport all over the world. Mr Rosaiah said Andhra Pradesh has the maximum number of Institutes of Excellence and the ISB at Hyderabad was declared one among the World's Top-12 Business Schools. The Chief Minister said in the recently presented railway budget, many new railway lines and new trains were announced. Besides, many new Ports are being built under PPP model all along A.P. Coast in addition to the Visakhapatnam, Machilipatnam, Kakinada, Vadarevu, Gangavaram which are already operational.

The Chief Minister said we have already established the “Rajiv Gandhi University of Knowledge Technologies” primarily to provide educational opportunities to meritorious rural students of Andhra Pradesh in IT and related branches. He said the State had successfully attracted a number of “Institutes of Excellence”, - Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS, Pilani), Narsee Monji Institute of Management Studies (NMIMS), Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), Symbiosis Institute of Business Management (SIBM), Georgia Institute of Technology, Institute of Translation Research and Institute of Public Health etc.