Guntur: Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal said the Centre and State governments will jointly set up industrial parks in the state. Along with the Union Minister of State for Rural Development and Communications Dr Pemmasani Chandrasekhar, he conducted a review meeting on National Industrial Corridor Development at the Tobacco Board office here on Sunday.

Later, addressing the media, he said industrial parks set up in the state will benefit 1.6 crore families and generate employment opportunities. He urged the farmers not to cultivate tobacco more than limit and added that during the last four years, tobacco farmers got better prices and their income doubled. He assured that he will take steps to solve the problems of the tobacco farmers and expressed satisfaction over the meeting held with Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on industrial development and exports promotion. He said they had discussed tourism promotion.

He discussed with the Tobacco Board officials on how to extend helping hand to the Burley tobacco farmers who suffered losses due to falling prices. He directed the board officials to take up skill development programmes with reputed institutes for the children of tobacco farmers and teach French, Japanese and German languages.

Minister for R&B and Infrastructure BC Janardhan Reddy, Tobacco Board chairman Chirupothu Yashwant and others were present.