Tirupati: With a clear focus on enhancing per capita income and driving overall development, the Tirupati district administration has been pushing ahead with a comprehensive vision plan that identifies thrust areas for growth at the district, constituency and mandal levels.

The roadmap, meticulously crafted after a detailed SWOT analysis of each region, aims to harness the district’s vast potential in industries, tourism and services sectors while addressing grassroots challenges.

In an exclusive interview with The Hans India, Tirupati District Collector Dr S Venkateswar outlined the key pillars of this ambitious plan. “Each area has its unique strengths and challenges. We have tailored our strategies based on local potential, focusing on industries, tourism and MSMEs as major engines for economic growth,” he said.

Dr Venkateswar stressed the need for a multi-pronged approach to income generation. The district administration is working on promoting tourism as a primary driver, leveraging Tirupati’s status as a major pilgrim hub. Plans are afoot to encourage devotees visiting Tirumala to extend their stay by two to three days, which is expected to significantly boost local economic activity and employment.

Efforts are underway to revive tours from Tirupati–Tirumala to other attractions that had been discontinued in recent times. The iconic sound and light show at Chandragiri is set to resume shortly, while new destinations like Pulicat and BV Palem are being developed to draw more tourists. Homestays are being promoted and steps are being taken to enhance hotel infrastructure, with a goal of increasing the room capacity in 3-star, 4-star, and 5-star categories to 5,000 rooms. This is aimed at facilitating longer stays for visitors who can explore the diverse tourism offerings in and around the district.

Industries remain a key focus area, given the district’s existing strength in the sector. With established hubs like Sri City, EMC-1 and 2, the Visakhapatnam–Chennai Industrial Corridor (VCIC), and KRIS City, Tirupati is already a major industrial contributor. Notably, 45 per cent of the district’s revenue is generated from industries, significantly higher than the State average of 18 per cent.

The district has mapped and geo-tagged an additional 36,000 acres of land, with 7,000 acres readily available for new industrial projects. The administration is actively inviting proposals for setting up industries in these areas, further bolstered by the pro-industry stance of the current NDA government, which has been instrumental in fast-tracking several pending projects.

The MSME sector has also been identified as a priority area, given its potential for employment generation and contribution to local economies. Livestock development is another focus area, seen as an avenue for rural income enhancement.

Dr Venkateswar emphasised that increasing per capita income is the ultimate objective of these concerted efforts. “Every family must be part of this growth journey. Income generation has to be inclusive and sustainable, and for that, population management will also play a key role as we plan for the future,” he noted.