Chandrababu emphasises on coordination among depts for double-digit growth

Vijayawada: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu yesterday emphasised on adopting a cohesive approach among all state departments to achieve a double-digit growth.

Addressing the district collectors' conference here on the second day, he told officials to assist the concerned departments on "pre-identified, specific, growth promoting large social and economic projects, which require inter-departmental synergy". Naidu, who has of late been functioning from the capital region of Vijayawada, reviewed presentations on industries, tourism and IT missions, stated a release issued by state government.

With Andhra Pradesh having made an impact through its investor-friendly initiatives by emerging as the second best state in the country on 'Ease of Doing Business' (as per a recent World Bank report), Naidu expressed confidence in reaching number one position soon.He congratulated the Industries Department for implementing initiatives which made AP investor-friendly.

In order to bolster industrial growth, the Industries department is aiming to attract Rs 2 lakh crore investments by 2020. With an aim to transform Andhra Pradesh into a 'tourism hub', Naidu said the tourism sector has been completely reoriented to increase its contribution to Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) to Rs 73,218 crore by 2020. Stressing on fostering innovation and IT culture in the state, the CM said the 'Madhurawada Signature Tower' in Visakhapatnam should emerge as a symbolic representation of the IT industry in the country.

The upcoming structure, which is considered the dream project of Naidu to give a boost to IT industry in Vizag, is expected to be an iconic tower with better architectural design than the Hi-tech City and Cyber Towers at Madhapur in Hyderabad.

He suggested transforming engineering colleges in the state into incubation centres, in order to make the students market-ready. With an aim to make the state digitally-empowered, Naidu said the government will soon switch over to a "certificate-less governance through e-Pragati (IT platform)".

He also stressed on updating government records on a real time basis to ensure transparency and easy access. "Following the success of the government's pilot project, other states are now approaching AP to serve as a consultant," the release quoted the CM as saying. Naidu directed the officials and collectors to make Andhra Pradesh's roads free of potholes and to repair all battered roads. "Blacklist contractors who construct low quality roads," he said.