Andhra to sign MoUs worth Rs 9.8 lakh crore at CII Partnership Summit: Minister

Amaravati, Nov 3 (PTI) Andhra Pradesh IT Minister Nara Lokesh on Monday said the state will sign 410 agreements to attract investments worth Rs 9.8 lakh crore during the upcoming CII Partnership Summit.

The two-day summit will be held in Visakhapatnam on November 14 and 15.

"The state government will sign 410 MoUs aimed at an investment of Rs 9.8 lakh crore," Lokesh said at a press conference at the CM's camp office in Undavalli.

He asserted that Andhra Pradesh ranks first in attracting investments, adding that global industrial giants are looking to the state for opportunities owing to its speed of doing business, visionary leadership, and industry-friendly "double engine sarkar".

Lokesh said the 30th edition of the CII Partnership Summit would serve as a global platform for discussions on emerging challenges and opportunities in the industrial sector, and would not be limited to investment announcements.

Around 300 global industrial players from 45 countries are expected to attend the summit, which will also feature addresses by 72 international speakers and other events.

Lokesh said the NDA government is committed to employing youth under its "super six" welfare promises and is working in mission mode to fulfil them.

The ruling coalition's 'Super Six' promises include Rs 1,500 monthly aid to every woman in the age bracket of 19 to 59 years, 20 lakh jobs for youth or Rs 3,000 monthly unemployment allowance and free bus travel for women.

Others include Rs 15,000 to every school-going child per annum (Talliki Vandanam), three free gas cylinders to every household (Deepam-2) and Rs 20,000 annual financial assistance to every farmer (Annadata Sukhibhava).

According to Lokesh, Andhra Pradesh has already attracted Rs 10 lakh crore in investments over the past 16 months, with companies such as Google, TCS, Cognizant, and Premier Energy choosing the state "for one single reason—the speed of doing business." PTI STH SSK