Focus on growth engines, Naidu tells Seven Mission conveners

Chief Minister N.Chandrababu Naidu has asked the Seven Mission conveners to focus on identifying growth engines in various sectors and follow up with the departments concerned on executing works.

In a review meeting with the Seven Mission conveners at the Secretariat here on Saturday, Mr. Naidu said the State would give additional funds if income generating sources were identified.

For instance in horticulture, the best practices should be incorporated and this would enhance the production by 30 per cent. Promoting drip irrigation in five lakh acres was one such initiative, Mr. Naidu said.

With the consumption of fruits, dairy products, meat and poultry going up, the Primary Sector Mission head should also focus on meeting the demand.

Tomato farmers could be encouraged to have the crop three times a year so as to earn Rs.1 lakh at about Rs.30,000 for each crop.

He informed the Mission heads that PepsiCo would start operations soon in Sri City and would procure huge amounts of agriculture produce.

On fuelling State’s economic growth, he said Rayalaseema could be made into horticulture hub while State has the potential to become acquaculture hub. A logistics hub would be set up in the vicinity of ports, he said.

Mr. Naidu directed the industries and horticulture departments to coordinate in establishing food-processing and cold-chain linkages. It was equally important to ensure construction activity in a hassle free and transparent manner.

The State would be spending Rs.300 crore on solid waste management and bio-fuel production to beautify urban areas and for power generation.

The Chief Minister was informed that the contribution of tissue-culture banana to the GSDP would be between Rs.3,000 crore to Rs.6,700 crore and that Walmart, Lulu and other US based juice making groups were keen on investing in the State.

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