Aiming to transform Andhra Pradesh into a mobile-manufacturing hub like China, State’s Minister for Information and Technology, Panchayat Raj and Rural Development Nara lokesh on Wednesday said the Chandrababu Naidu Government is planning to achieve $10 billion worth of production output and provide employment to 20 lakh youth and rural women by 2025.
lokesh was in Delhi on a day-long tour holding meetings with Union Information Technology Minister Ravishankar Prasad, Union IT Secretary Ajay Sahni and representatives from electronics manufacturing industry.
“To achieve the target, we are planning to set up a robust Electronic System Design and Manufacturing Hub in AP. We are readying a road map to promote AP as the preferred manufacturing destination in electronics sector with emphasis on mobile handsets and components. We want to export mobile handsets and components to other countries. To promote and sustain electronics manufacturing, we would like to establish a R&D and Design eco-system. We are also making an action plan to create a large pool of talent to feed the manufacturing sector,” lokesh said elaborating the steps taking by the State Government.
He requested the Centre to give permission to the proposed five manufacturing clusters planned in Chittoor, Anantapuram and Visakhapatnam districts; increase another 2,700 seats in the Indian BPO Scheme for AP and establish Central Electronics, Information Technology Research and Development Centre C-DAC in Visakhapatnam, besides Centre of Excellence for Cyber Security and Centre of Excellence for Internet of Things in AP.
He also requested permission to the proposed International Institute of Digital Technology, Centre of Excellence for Black Chain Technology, Big Data Analytics in the State besides release of funds for early completion of the Microvare Electronic Engineering Institute — SAMEER proposed by Government of India in AP. Prasad promised total support, cooperation and help from the Centre to Andhra Pradesh for the development of Electronics and IT Sector, sources said.
lokesh directed State’s IT Principal Secretary K Vijayanand to prepare a separate action plan on special training to women and students in mobile manufacturing sector. “Women and Students must be trained from schooling itself in mobile manufacturing,” he said as he met representatives from the Indian Cellular Association in Delhi. lokesh requested Cellular companies to establish mobile manufacturing units in Renigunta Electronics Manufacturing Cluster located near the temple town Tirupati. He requested the Association to start units in every month if possible.
“Andhra Pradesh Government is making a road map for a special hub for electronics, mobile handsets manufacturing and other components. State Government is very much keen to establish Centre for Development of Electronics System Design and Manufacturing (CD-ESDM) amd is ready to support Cellular Industry in all aspects,” lokesh informed the Association representatives.
Indian Cellular Association president Pankaj Mahendro brought to the notice of lokesh certain issues. “If the State Government is keen to compete with China in the mobile manufacturing sector and wants to export to other countries, the local Government has to offer tax benefits and has to simplify the policies,” he suggested.