Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has said that the foundation stone would be laid for Ramayapatnam port in Prakasam district on January 9.
He was speaking after releasing a white paper on the industrial development in the State during the past four years after the TDP Government assumed charge at Amaravati on Monday.
Stating that 55 per cent employment in the State was still in the agricultural sector, he said greater growth and employment should be achieved in the industrial and service sectors to increase the per capita income. He said agro-based industries should be increased for a good growth rate.
The Chief Minister alleged that the Centre had failed to accord special category status to AP, curtailing the scope for industry development. The Centre had also not granted grants for Visakhapatnam-Chennai industrial corridor. The bifurcation promises of a green-field petro chemical complex at Kakinada and steel plant in Kadapa had also not been fulfilled.
There was a provision in the AP Re-organisation Act, 2014, to set up a port at Dugarajapatnam in Nellore district, but the site was found unsuitable and the State had shown an alternative site at Ramayapatnam in Prakasam district. But even then there was no positive response from the Centre. The State would go ahead with the project and the foundation stone for the port and a paper mill at Ramayapatnam would be laid on January 9. Similarly, the State was taking up the Kadapa steel plant on its own and the foundation stone had been laid for the project earlier this month.