Industries Minister T. G. Bharath addresses a symposium on ‘Rising Rayalaseema: Industry, Innovation and Investment’ at the Z.P. Conference Hall in Kadapa on Saturday.
Andhra Pradesh Industries Minister T. G. Bharath on Saturday said the State government was transforming the fortunes of Rayalaseema, a region long affected by drought and migration, through focused investments in industry, infrastructure and employment generation.Addressing a symposium on “Rising Rayalaseema: Industry, Innovation and Investment” at the Z.P. Conference Hall in Kadapa, the Minister called for collective efforts to develop Kadapa, Kurnool, Anantapur and Chittoor districts into major industrial hubs. He said the government’s vision was to position Rayalaseema as a leading centre for industry and commerce.Mr. Bharath said the region’s strategic location, availability of vast tracts of land, reliable power supply and skilled workforce offered significant advantages for industrial growth. Its proximity to Bengaluru, Chennai and Hyderabad, along with access to Krishnapatnam and Chennai ports, further enhanced its investment potential, he added.Highlighting the region’s natural resources, the Minister said deposits of Mangampet barytes, Tummalapalle uranium, Yerraguntla limestone, Chittoor-Kadapa granite and Kurnool iron ore had created a strong foundation for industrial development.He also pointed to the growing market potential of agricultural products such as Kadapa banana, sweet potato and pomegranate, Anantapur groundnut, Kurnool chilli and Chittoor mango. These resources, he said, offered substantial opportunities for food processing, pharmaceuticals, renewable energy and tourism-related industries.Mr. Bharath said the government planned to establish mega food parks in every district and promote value-added industries based on crops such as banana, sweet potato, mango, tomato and onion. He added that pharmaceutical clusters would be developed at Kopparthi, Hindupur and Naidupeta, while Orvakal would be promoted as a hub for defence and aerospace industries.Health and Family Welfare Minister Satya Kumar Yadav said funds had been released for the Galeru-Nagari and Handri-Neeva projects and expressed confidence that both would be completed soon, ensuring improved water availability in the region.He said the completion of the Polavaram project would significantly benefit Rayalaseema and added that the proposed Godavari-Cauvery river-linking project would further strengthen the region’s long-term water security.Mr. Yadav said the government’s industrial policies, incentives and infrastructure initiatives had helped attract substantial investments to the region. New industries worth over ₹12,000 crore were being established, creating employment opportunities for thousands of people, he added.District Collector Cherukuri Sridhar expressed confidence that Kadapa would witness significant progress in the industrial, agricultural, energy and tourism sectors over the next two decades and emerge as a model district for the country. He noted that Rayalaseema was now being recognised as one of the fastest-growing regions in the State. Published - June 06, 2026 06:41 pm IST
