From Our Correspondent
Kolkata: Andhra Pradesh Minister for Education, IT and Electronics Nara Lokesh has invited ITC Ltd to explore investment opportunities in the state’s emerging crop value chain clusters and partner with the government in strengthening sustainable agriculture and rural development initiatives.
Lokesh met ITC Chairman and Managing Director Sanjiv Puri in Kolkata and discussed opportunities for expanding the company’s presence in Andhra Pradesh, particularly in agriculture, hospitality and rural development sectors.
During the meeting, Lokesh highlighted Andhra Pradesh’s rapid economic growth and said several leading national and international companies are investing in the state across multiple sectors. He noted that nearly 220 domestic and global companies have already signed agreements to establish industries in Visakhapatnam and many of them have commenced implementation of their projects.
The minister urged ITC to consider investing in Andhra Pradesh’s crop value chain clusters, which are being developed to enhance agricultural productivity, improve market linkages and generate higher value for farmers. He also invited the company to collaborate with the state in developing climate-resilient crop varieties, promoting agroforestry and supporting the creation of model villages.
“Crop value chain clusters offer significant opportunities for investment and innovation. We would like ITC to partner with Andhra Pradesh in building a sustainable agricultural ecosystem that benefits farmers and rural communities,” Lokesh said.
Sanjiv Puri said ITC already has a substantial presence in Andhra Pradesh through its spices processing facilities, green leaf tobacco processing plants in Guntur, agri-business centres, notebook manufacturing unit at Gollapudi, IT solutions business and hospitality operations.
He noted that ITC has also been actively involved in rural development through its corporate social responsibility initiatives. Under its Sustainable Rural Development Programme, the company is helping transform 361 villages into model villages across the state.
Puri said ITC has established a large number of RO water plants in remote areas of Andhra Pradesh to improve access to safe drinking water and support community welfare.
Responding to the state’s proposals, the ITC Chairman said the company would examine the opportunities presented by the Andhra Pradesh government and explore avenues for deeper collaboration in agriculture, sustainability and rural development.
The meeting forms part of the Andhra Pradesh government’s ongoing outreach to leading Indian corporations as it seeks to attract investments and build sector-specific ecosystems in agriculture, manufacturing, technology and services.