Lokesh asks Pan-IIT community to help make Andhra Pradesh India’s leading State

Andhra Pradesh Education and IT Minister Nara Lokesh has asked the Pan-IIT community to support the State government’s ambition of making Andhra Pradesh the No. 1 State in the country. Mr.

Lokesh made the appeal at a dinner meeting with the Pan-IIT Conference team in Vijayawada on October 2. Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu also participated in the meeting.

The Minister said the government wanted to work with industry, academia and technology experts, and was willing to learn from their experience. He said the State’s development required cooperation from experts, professionals, industry and academic institutions, rather than the government alone. Mr.

Lokesh said Andhra Pradesh was creating opportunities in several emerging sectors, including horticulture, space technology, drones, quantum technology and data centres. He also referred to the recently launched Indian School of Agriculture and Horticulture Mission, under which public and private investments of nearly $10 billion were expected, according to him. He said the initiative aimed to help India become a global leader in horticulture.

Mr. Lokesh also said Andhra Pradesh had the talent, intellectual strength, determination and leadership needed to play a leading role in India’s development. He expressed the view that India could become a developed nation within a decade.

The Minister highlighted the government’s plans for Amaravati, describing the capital city as a project intended to become world-class and attract global attention. He invited Pan-IIT delegates to visit Amaravati and see the development work under way. Mr.

Lokesh also said that half of the MLAs in the present government were first-time legislators and that 17 of its 25 Ministers were holding ministerial positions for the first time. Pan-IIT Chairman Prabhat Singh, IIT directors, alumni and industrialists attended the meeting.