Major investment would provide lakhs of jobs
AP’s bargaining capacity with Centre has increased.
Naidu’s visionary brand will help immensely
Patibandla Srinivas
The backward districts of Rayalaseema would be bestowed with a $ 30 billion investment plan in the name of the Tesla car manufacturing unit, if everything goes well according to plan.
Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, who established the Kia car plant in Andhra Pradesh, is making plans to invite Tesla Company to invest in AP.
Minister for HRD Nara Lokesh announced this during the election campaign. The State government led by Chandrababu Naidu had initiated the plans to invite Tesla during his previous stint from 2014-2019. But plans were kept in cold storage by the Jagan government owing to its anti-development policies.
The COVID-19 also hampered the progress of the proposed plan.
The Union Government recently finalized a policy to attract Electric Vehicles (EVs).
According to reports, Elon Musk’s USA-based Tesla Company is ready to launch a new car manufacturing plant in India.
The Centre’s initiative is a big advantage to Rayalaseema. KIA Motors, a South Korean multinational company, started its India cars manufacturing unit at Anantapur district in 2017.
It has successfully produced 12 lakh cars so far. The State government chaired by Nara Chandrababu Naidu made all efforts by providing water and initiating land allocation in a record time.
As a result, now the Rayalaseema-produced cars are moving on roads in various countries across the globe. Presently Tesla’s move to launch its new plant in India turned out to be a big advantage to Rayalaseema districts. Already KIA Motors has been successfully producing cars which have global demand.
The Rayalaseema districts will have a golden opportunity if the Andhra Pradesh government uses this initiative with Centre’s support.
Centre had extended support to the State government while establishing the KIA Motors unit in Anantapur in the past.
Tesla will spend $ 3 billion on immediate investment and it will continue to invest up to $ 30 billion in the next five years. The Korean-based company invested only $ 1.1 billion in Andhra Pradesh. Now the American-based company has plans to invest $ 30 billion in India. It is 30 times bigger than KIA Motors plant and Tesla’s “giga plant” can provide lakhs of jobs in Andhra Pradesh.
Rayalaseema region where KIA Motors is located can be made a car manufacturing hub of India if Tesla starts its unit.
Already sufficient land and water facilities are available.
The region is near Bengaluru and sufficient logistical connectivity is available in all aspects. Moreover, the area is connected to two states Andhra and Karnataka and the youth of the two states can get jobs if the plant is set up there.
Now Tesla and Centre have started talks and the company has also moved positively to invest in India.
Rayalaseema districts, which are geologically suitable for industrial development, has emerged as favourite in the race, with an established ecosystem thanks to the successful functioning of with KIA Motors,
Moreover, AP’s bargaining capacity at Centre has also increased with the TDP support for the BJP-led ND government and Chandrababu’s track record as a visionary might augur well for striking a deal with Tesla Company.
