Andhra Pradesh’s Minister for Education, Information Technology, and Electronics, Nara Lokesh, held a series of high-level meetings in New Delhi on Monday to push for key developmental projects and secure central government's support for the state.
Minister Lokesh met with the National President of the Bharatiya Janata Party and Union Minister for Health, Fertilizers, and Chemicals, JP Nadda. A primary focus of the meeting was the urgent urea shortage in Andhra Pradesh during the Kharif season. Lokesh requested an immediate allocation of the fertiliser, to which Nadda assured him that 29,000 metric tonnes would be supplied to the state by August 21.
Moreover, Lokesh suggested setting up a Plastic Park to promote local industry and provide employment. He also spoke on the setting up of a permanent campus of the National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER) in Visakhapatnam, stating that 100 acres had been reserved for the purpose. Lokesh briefed Nadda on the development of several projects such as the Polavaram Project and developing Amaravati as the state capital at a minimal cost. Lokesh emphasised the speedy development of the state under the "double-engine" governance system.
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Earlier today, Lokesh had a meeting with Union External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar and pushed for more intense diaspora interaction to put Andhra Pradesh at the forefront of India's global talent pool. He briefed Jaishankar on a recent state delegation trip to Singapore and requested central guidance for future collaborations.
In a separate meeting with Union Minister Hardeep Puri, Lokesh strongly pitched for the BPCL refinery-cum-petrochemical complex at Ramayapatnam, a long-standing promise under the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014.
He also met with Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, to get fast-track clearances for significant highway widening and urban mobility projects like the Kuppam-Bengaluru-Chennai industrial corridor. The talks were aimed at creating seamless connectivity and decongesting the city. A major one was the planned Kuppam-Hosur-Bengaluru greenfield highway, a ₹3,000 crore project that Lokesh called for early clearance, calling it a "game-changer" for regional growth. He also emphasised the importance of connectivity to the Bengaluru-Chennai Expressway.
Reports suggest that Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu is also travelling to New Delhi on Monday to attend an NDA leaders’ meeting on August 20 and to participate in the nomination programme for the NDA’s Vice-Presidential candidate. He is also expected to meet with several Union Ministers during his visit.
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