Lokesh Pitches Andhra Pradesh as Top Investment Destination; Centuryply Reaffirms Commitment
Kolkata/Vijayawada, June 20 (TNT): Century Plyboards (India) Ltd has reiterated its commitment to Andhra Pradesh, highlighting the success of its ₹1,000-crore integrated manufacturing facility at Badvel in Kadapa district, even as Andhra Pradesh Minister for Information Technology, Electronics, Communications and Human Resource Development Nara Lokesh pitched the state as a preferred destination for investments.
Speaking at an event organised by the Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC) in Kolkata, Lokesh invited industrialists from West Bengal and across the country to participate in Andhra Pradesh’s growth story, citing policy stability, speedy clearances and investor-friendly governance.
“Of every ₹100 invested in India, nearly ₹25 is coming to Andhra Pradesh. What differentiates the state is speed, stability and service. Once an investor commits to a project, it becomes the government’s responsibility to facilitate and support its successful execution,” Lokesh said.
He said Andhra Pradesh, currently a $220-billion economy, aims to become a $2.4-trillion economy in the coming years and would require strong partnerships with industry to achieve that goal.
Century Plyboards Executive Director and ICC Vice-President Keshav Bhajanka said the company’s experience in Andhra Pradesh had reinforced confidence in the state’s industrial ecosystem.
He praised Lokesh’s vision and said the company’s investment in the state had yielded positive outcomes, particularly through its integrated manufacturing facility in Badvel.
The company commenced commercial production and dispatches of Medium Density Fibreboard (MDF) from the Badvel plant in 2024, effectively doubling its MDF manufacturing capacity from 900 cubic metres to 1,900 cubic metres.
According to the company, the facility has generated direct and indirect employment for around 2,200 people and has strengthened linkages with local farming communities through raw material sourcing programmes.
As part of its long-term sustainability strategy, Century Plyboards is promoting plantation-based forestry in the region and plans to facilitate cultivation of timber-bearing trees across 80,000 acres over the next eight years. More than 1,000 farmers have already been enrolled under the programme, covering around 5,000 acres through subsidised plantation support.
The company said the initiative would help ensure long-term raw material availability while creating additional income opportunities for farmers in the region.
The interaction highlighted Andhra Pradesh’s efforts to attract manufacturing investments and strengthen its position as a major industrial and economic growth centre in the country.
TNT KM
