MANNAVARAM (Chittoor Dt.) The State government has been praised not only by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, but also Union Ministers Sushil Kumar Shinde (Power) and Vilasrao Deshmukh (Heavy Industries) for its swift action in bagging the prized Mannavaram project.

Reading out the message of Chief Minister K. Rosaiah, who could not make it to the function citing health grounds, Minister for Major Industries Kanna Lakshminarayana said that Andhra Pradesh was on the ‘fast track’ of industrial development and listed out the various initiatives. The State had taken up Special Economic Zones (SEZs) on a massive scale with an eye on improving employment potential.

The petrochemical corridor coming up between Visakhapatnam and Kakinada in 604 sq.km area would fetch more jobs. With the commissioning of gas supply by the Reliance Group in Krishna-Godavari basin, Mr. Lakshminarayana said adding that gas distribution to the city would begin soon.

The Minister noted that Nellore-Chittoor belt had the potential to emerge as a mega industrial hub, thanks to its proximity to the three seaports of Chennai, Ennore and Krishnapatnam and three international airports at Chennai, Bangalore and the upcoming one in Tirupati. He dubbed the ambience at Mannavaram as ‘quintessential harmony’, situated as it was between Tirupati and Srikalahasti, typified by their cultural significance.

Showcasing the State’s emergence as a centre of knowledge, with the establishment of IIITs, an IIT, 17 new universities and 600 engineering colleges, he spoke on the ambitious plan to connect them with a dedicated broadband network for the benefit of students.

Chinta Mohan, MP, translated Dr. Singh’s speech into Telugu. Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan, Ministers of State Bharat Singh Solanki and Arun Yadav , Union Ministers Veerappa Moily and Panabaka Lakshmi, Rajya Sabha member K. Keshava Rao, local MLA B.Gopalakrishna Reddy and others participated.