A.P. govt. focuses on grounding projects, not just signing MoUs, says HRD Minister Lokesh

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IT and HRD Minister Nara Lokesh taking a selfie with the Suzlon representatives at the foundation-laying ceremony of wind energy projects at Hulikera in Anantapur district on Tuesday. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

IT and HRD Minister Nara Lokesh has said that the Andhra Pradesh government does not believe in merely signing MoUs but focuses on grounding the projects and creating jobs.

Mr. Lokesh laid the foundation stone for Suzlon wind energy projects at Hulikera in Kanekal Mandal of Rayadurgam constituency on Tuesday.

“MoUs are just paper and ink for us. We focus on grounding projects, ensuring the speed of doing business and creating jobs, particularly for the farmers who have parted with their land for industrial projects,” he said.

Citing the ArcelorMittal greenfield steel plant in Anakapalli as an example, Mr. Lokesh said farmers had given away 3,000 acres of land for the project without an MoU, and construction work is progressing. He expressed confidence that commercial production will begin by 2029.

Mr. Lokesh said the project envisaged renewable energy capacity of 1,325 megawatts, bringing in an investment of approximately ₹10,000 crore and creating over 4,000 jobs.

“Every megawatt of capacity we build must ultimately translate into an opportunity for our youth. Suzlon already has an installed capacity of around 1,600 megawatts in Andhra Pradesh, with another 2,700 megawatts currently in the development and construction stages,” he said.

Mr. Lokesh said the government was aiming at converting clean energy into green hydrogen and green ammonia. “We intend to power the AI ​​economy through green data centres. Our goal is to transform Andhra Pradesh into the ‘Saudi Arabia of clean energy’—a state capable of exporting clean energy in various forms to the world,” he said.

Mr. Lokesh said the government was working for the establishment of 22 industrial clusters in high-growth sectors. “The reason for focusing on clusters is that companies do not invest in isolation. They invest in an ecosystem. Our approach is simple: it is not just about bringing in a single company, but about building a complete ecosystem around it. A company brings in suppliers, and those suppliers attract more companies. These companies create jobs, which in turn strengthen the local economy, ultimately drawing in large-scale investments,” Mr. Lokesh said.

Further, Mr. Lokesh said that the State Government and Suzlon were collaborating to train 12,000 young people — with women comprising 25% of them — for jobs in the green energy sector. Skill development centres in Uravakonda and Vijayawada are preparing engineers and technicians required for the renewable energy industry, he said.

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