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AP Governor for focussed exports

Our Bureau

HYDERABAD, June 23

FOCUSSED promotional efforts and a mechanism to monitor the collection and compilation of data are necessary for the growth of exports from Andhra Pradesh, Dr. C. Rangarajan, Governor, said here today.

The Governor, who inaugurated a two-day seminar on `Expo Vision - 2020 of Andhra Pradesh', jointly organised by the State Government, the Federation of Andhra Pradesh Chambers of Commerce & Industry and the German Confederation of Small Business & Skille d Crafts, said it was time to move from broad generalities to specific action.

As the external environment this year is expected to be helpful to the growth of exports, it is necessary to pay attention to industry-specific and destination-specific factors, he said.

The Governor stressed that the export performance of the State must reflect the growing capabilities in the areas of drugs, pharmaceuticals and chemicals, agro-based and food-processing industries, leather and marine products.

Mr. K. Vidyadhara Rao, Minister for Major Industries, said the State ranked fourth in the country in terms of attracting investments and said its industrial production registered a growth of 9 per cent up to December 1999.

The Government's approach was to focus on priority sectors such as agro processing and biotechnology, textiles, apparel and leather, bulk drugs and pharmaceuticals, minerals and mineral-based industries, automotive industry, finance and insurance, electr onic hardware and telecom.

Mr. Rao said consultants had been hired for each of the sectors to suggest a package of support measures for their promotion. The consultants would also be entrusted with the responsibility of bringing in investments.

He said 31 mega infrastructure projects would be taken up on a priority basis to attract industries. Among them were the hardware park, international airport, Gangavaram port, coastal shipping and highways. A committee under the chairmanship of the Chief Secretary had been formed to accelerate the pace of projects.

The establishment of a free-trade zone around Visakhapatnam-Kakinada to boost exports was being pursued, he said.

Mr. J.S. Rao, former FAPCCI president, wanted expansion of infrastructure of different sectors, creation of sectorwise data base, sorting out of procedural problems and minimising of transaction costs for giving a thrust to exports.