PNS n Vijayawada
Andhra Pradesh is set to emerge as a major destination for investment in the IT and electronics sectors, with 91 prominent companies expressing interest in establishing operations in the state, announced Minister for Education, IT and Electronics, Nara Lokesh.
In a high-level review meeting held at his residence in Undavalli with senior officials from the IT, Electronics and RTGS departments, the Minister issued key directives aimed at expediting industrial development.
Minister Lokesh emphasised the need to appoint a dedicated nodal officer for each company to ensure swift approvals and effective coordination. So far, companies have proposed investments worth Rs 91,839 crore, with the potential to generate over 1.41 lakh jobs. He instructed officials to fast-track approvals and initiate consultations with company representatives to facilitate the prompt establishment of units.
Outlining the government’s objective, Lokesh stated that Andhra Pradesh aims to create five lakh jobs in the IT and electronics sectors over the next five years. He also underlined the importance of transforming Visakhapatnam into a global IT hub powered by advanced technologies. Pending incentive dues to IT firms must be cleared immediately, he added.
On the digital governance front, Lokesh called for the integration of all government services onto platforms such as WhatsApp Governance and the ‘Mana Mitra’ app, which currently offers 317 services. The target is to expand this number to 400 by the end of the month. All public service certificates should be linked with blockchain technology and QR codes to enhance security and verification.
He further directed municipal, panchayat, and corporation offices to issue property tax dues and alerts via WhatsApp, and instructed the RTGS to incorporate KPIs and real-time weather alerts. He also said preparations must begin immediately for the National e-Governance Summit scheduled to be held in Visakhapatnam on June 9-10.
Minister Lokesh reiterated the need for a unified, AI-enabled platform to consolidate government applications, GOs, and departmental data to improve transparency and efficiency.
Enhancing the ease of doing business and introducing a single certification system for MSMEs using QR code and blockchain technologies were among the key tech-driven reforms discussed at the meeting.
Senior officials, including IT Secretary Katamneni Bhaskar, Special Secretary B. Sundar, EDB CEO Saikanth Varma, AP Technology Services MD Surya Tej, and RTGS CEO Prakhar Jain, attended the session.
