Andhra Pradesh attracted Rs 9.2 lakh crore investments in 11 months, says industries minister Bharat

Visakhapatnam: Industries minister TG Bharat on Tuesday said the NDA govt in the state had drawn investments worth 9.2 lakh crore within 11 months — an achievement the previous YSRCP regime failed to match in five years. The investments are expected to generate over 8.5 lakh employment opportunities.Addressing the Federation of Andhra Pradesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FAPCCI) Excellence Awards 2025 as chief guest, Bharat emphasised the govt's industry-first approach. "Our focus is on restoring investor confidence and addressing the long-standing concerns of the industrial sector," he noted. Highlighting reforms, Bharat said Andhra Pradesh now has among the most competitive industrial policies in the country. He urged entrepreneurs to leverage state-provided incentives and cited the "Speed of Doing Business" initiative for expediting approvals. He also called on businesses to participate in the P4 (People-Public-Private Partnership) model for inclusive growth. Visakhapatnam MP M Sribharat urged industry leaders to identify challenges and offer transformative ideas. "Your innovation could be the game changer Andhra Pradesh needs," he said. FAPCCI president Kankatala Mallikharjuna Rao commended the state's MSME policy, highlighting its generous incentives for tourism projects. These include a five-year 100% SGST exemption from the start of commercial production, full reimbursement of land conversion fees, and industrial tariffs for power bills. He assured that all reimbursements would be processed within six months. Awards were presented in 11 categories. Nekkanti Sea Foods Ltd, Visakhapatnam, was honoured for Excellence in Agri & Aqua Based Industries. Other winners are Ananda Enterprises (Export Performance – MSEs), Efftronics Systems (Product Innovation), and Ms. Annandi Suneetha (Outstanding Women Entrepreneur). Recognitions were also given to Steelon Call (Start-up), Divi's Laboratories (CSR), ITC – Agri Division (Employee Welfare), CCL Products (All Round Performance), Dalmia Cement (Green Energy), Aravind Industries (Rural Entrepreneurship), and Sarda Metals (Export – Large & Medium Enterprises).