The US-based retail major Walmart India has expressed its interest to set up 15 stores over next five years in Andhra Pradesh.

With three stores in Vijayawada, Guntur and Rajahmundry, it plans to locate one wholesale stores in every district.

Krishna Iyer, President and CEO of Walmart India met State Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu at Secretariat today and informed the Chief Minister about their plans for India.

This visit follows the Chief Minister’s meeting with David Cheesewright, President and CEO of Walmart International at the World Economic Forum in Davos recently.

Iyer stated that Cheesewright had written to him to call on the Chief Minister and outline Walmart India's plans for Andhra Pradesh.

Mentioning about the single-desk policy and 21-day clearance plan of Andhra Pradesh, Iyer said that such an initiative would make investment attractive.

He added Walmart is also keen on investing in social and rural entrepreneurship through Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).

Stating that the company wants to focus on creating women leaders for empowerment in the society, Iyer said that they intend to build skills of DWCRA women in the State.

Responding to Iyer’s plans, the Chief Minister suggested that Walmart could explore setting up of cold-chain facilities and work on backward integration of agriculture.

Naidu said ICRISAT and NABARD are working with the State in the Primary Sector Mission to make agriculture profitable and sustainable. The State would also earmark certain areas from which the agriculture commodities could be procured.

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