AP CM Naidu directs officials to convert 80% of investment proposals ahead of CII summit
AMARAVATI, Sept 24 (TNT): Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Thursday directed officials to organise five regional conferences ahead of the CII Partnership Summit-2026 and step up efforts to attract investments to the State.
Reviewing preparations for the 31st CII Partnership Summit, scheduled in Visakhapatnam on November 12 and 13, Naidu said the event should go beyond signing MoUs and help promote entrepreneurship and strengthen the Andhra Pradesh brand.
The regional conferences will be held in Visakhapatnam, Kakinada, Guntur, Anantapur and Tirupati between October 7 and 26.
He directed officials to organise MSME showcases at each conference and suggested a Shark Tank-style platform to connect startups with potential investors.
Naidu also asked officials to link Ratan Tata Innovation Hubs with the conferences and prepare an action plan to lay foundation stones for MSME parks in 30 more constituencies before the summit.
Reviewing the status of investments, the Chief Minister directed departments to convert 80 per cent of investment proposals by the end of October and ground 75 per cent of the converted projects.
Officials informed him that since June 2024, MoUs had been signed for 714 projects involving ₹22.57 lakh crore. Of these, 473 projects worth ₹16.6 lakh crore had been converted, while 247 converted projects had already been grounded.
The conferences will focus on sectors including AI, data centres, IT, fintech, semiconductors, pharma and med-tech in Visakhapatnam; maritime, shipbuilding, chemicals, green hydrogen, aqua exports and food processing in Kakinada; governance, urban infrastructure, Quantum Valley and emerging technologies in Guntur; aerospace, defence, automotive, horticulture and renewable energy in Anantapur; and tourism, hospitality, electronics, semiconductors, space and footwear in Tirupati.
Domestic roadshows have been held in Chennai, Coimbatore and Bengaluru, with programmes scheduled in Ahmedabad, Hyderabad and Mumbai. International roadshows have been completed in Singapore, South Korea and Taiwan, while programmes are scheduled in Sweden, Japan and China.
Officials said 11 international ministers, 26 international speakers and representatives from 21 countries had confirmed their participation in the summit.
The theme of the summit has been finalised as ‘Trade, Technology, Trust and Thought Leadership’.
A curtain-raiser for the summit will be held at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi on October 8.
Naidu also directed officials to ensure that the proposed Convention Centre at Kapuluppada in Visakhapatnam is designed for future multi-purpose use.
TNT KM
