The draft master plan for the Petroleum, Chemical, Petro-chemical Investment Region (PCPIR) coming up between Visakhapatnam and Kakinada is ready and it will be submitted to the Union Government next month for approval, according to Jayesh Ranjan, the Vice-chairman and Managing Director of the Andhra Pradesh Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (APIIC).

Ranjan said the project would cover 97 villages in the districts of Visakhapatnam and East Godavari out of which 57 villages being inhabited by fishermen. He said there was no need for any apprehensions on the future of the fishermen and an Rs 2,000-crore packages had been prepared for their rehabilitation and welfare schemes. Their livelihood would not be affected. Fishing harbours would be built in the PCPIR region and more landing centres would come up for their benefit.

Land acquisition

He added that no additional land would be acquired for the PCPIR, except for the six-lane expressway coming up between Gangavaram port and Kakinada port, covering 138 km. Already land had been acquired for the Atchyuthapuram SEZ and Nakkapalli SEZ in Visakhapatnam district and for Kakinada special economic zone in East Godavari district.

The mega project would transform the Visakhapatnam-Kakinada belt and generate employment to 12 lakh persons directly or indirectly.

sarma.rs@thehindu.co.in

Related Topics