[kdlara007]

Due to the most recent industrial activities in the last 2 years, I feel Guntur district needs a seperate thread. All the industrial development in and around guntur can be posted here.

 

[kdlara007]

Rs 16,800-cr industrial corridor to come up near Nizampatnam


An integrated industrial corridor with an industrial complex, port facility, power plant and associated infrastructural facilities will be developed on the 26-kilometre stretch between Nizampatnam in Guntur district and Vodarevu in Prakasam district with Rs 16,800 crore investment.

The Government of Andhra Pradesh has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Ras Al Khaimah (RAK) Investment Authority of the United Arab Emirates and Matrix Enport Private Ltd here on Tuesday.

“The project, to come up in about 10,000 acres, will be one of the first few port-based industrial corridors in the country. To be competed in six years in a phased-manner, it will generate employment to 25,000 to 50,000,” Mr M. Venkata Ramana Rao, Minister for Infrastructure and Ports, Government of Andhra Pradesh told newspersons.

The Nizampatnam port project has had a controversial past with the State Government and the Czech major Skoda Export falling out of an agreement to develop the facilities.

Besides significant upgradation of Nizampatnam port, the project would also include a 2,100 MW power project with an assured cargo traffic of eight million tonnes/year of imported coal.

“Amongst other business offshore rig repairs and ship-breaking hold great potential for the product due to close proximity to the Krishna-Godavari basin,” the Minister said.

Both RAK and Matrix Enport would have 51:49 per cent stake in the project receptively, he added.

 

[kdlara007]

40 Exporters to set up units at Spices Park in Guntur

The Spices Board has finally approved the proposals of 40 Exporters out of 100 who have expressed interest in setting up units at Spices Park which is supposed to be coming at Edlapadu Mandal of Guntur District.
An employee of Spices Board showing the quality evaluation laboratory in Guntur on Wednesday

The Spices Board is setting up a park in Guntur in Andhra Pradesh to upgrade the quality of spices and ensure better prices for growers in the state. The Board will invest Rs 25 crore to build the infrastructure.
The proposed spices park will be set up in an area of 124.78 acres. Infrastructure Leasing & Financial Services, Cluster Development Initiative, New Delhi has been entrusted with the Techno Commercial Feasibility Study for the proposed park


The park will have raw-material warehousing, cleaning, drying, grading, sorting and packing facilities; pulverizing, blending, packaging in bulk as well as institutional and consumer packaging; extraction, sterilisation, finished products storage, analytical facilities, pre-shipment inspection and certification; customs clearing facilities, container loading facilities and banking and other related services.
In addition, the Board will also provide a world-class analytical laboratory to undertake analytical services and also to impart training on both pre-and post-harvest operations in spices to all sections of the trade. Research and Development facilities will also be set up

 

[kdlara007]

Rosaiah lays stone for Apache shoe factory at Guntur
Chief Minister K. Rosaiah unveils plaque marking the foundation for Apache shoemaking unit at Obulanaidupalem in Guntur district

Chief Minister K. Rosaiah laid the foundation stone for Apache Footwear Company at Obulanaidupalem village in Pottur mandal on Saturday. This is the second unit of company to be set up in the state. The global shoe brand has already set up shoemaking unit at Tada in Nellore district.
The shoemaking unit was allotted 50 acres by APIIC and is scheduled to be completed by March 2011.
Company representatives said that the plant could scale up production to 3 lakh pairs of shoes.
Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Rosaiah observed that overall development of the State is necessary to sustain the growth.
Industries needed to be promoted, rail, road and sea connectivity should be improved and electrical generation should be augmented to meet the needs of industries. He thanked Apache for setting up a plant at a cost of Rs.150 crores and said that the plant would boost employment opportunities in rural areas.
Major Industries Minister Kanna Lakshminarayana said that the district would witness rapid industrial growth as a slew of industries, including solar city at Gurazala, Apparel parks at Bapatla and Budampadu and Tyres Factory at Mangalagiri are coming up.
Union Minister of State for Textiles P. Lakshmi, Ministers P. S. Bose, M. Venkata Ramana Rao, D. Manikya Vara Prasad, APIIC Chairman Siva Subramaniyam, MLAs and officials were present.

 

[kdlara007]

AP CM inaugurates Rs 300-cr NSL Textiles unit

Hyderabad, Oct. 22

The Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, Mr K. Rosaiah, today inaugurated a Rs 300-crore process house of NSL Textiles located near Guntur.

NSL Textiles, part of the Rs 1,500-crore NSL group, promoters of Nuziveedu Seeds and other companies, has set up a 1,20,000 metres a day textile processing unit at Chandolu in Guntur district.

While the company has commissioned the plant with an initial capacity of 1.2 lakh metres a day, it is proposed to double this capacity within next two years, with an additional outlay of Rs.250 crore.

Constello brand

NSL plans to market its branded apparel Constello catering to the domestic market from Diwali. The company in a statement mentioned that this is amongst large facilities in the South India equipped with latest technology and an efficient effluent treatment plant capable of recycling up to 90 per cent of the water usage.

NSL group, promoted by Mr Mandava Prabhakar Rao, has diversified presence in sectors such as seeds, cotton, power, textiles, sugar and infrastructure areas.

NSL is promoter of Nuziveedu Seeds Private Ltd, which has a turnover of Rs 600 crore.

 

[kdlara007]

AP CM inaugurates Rs 300-cr NSL Textiles unit

Hyderabad, Oct. 22

The Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, Mr K. Rosaiah, today inaugurated a Rs 300-crore process house of NSL Textiles located near Guntur.

NSL Textiles, part of the Rs 1,500-crore NSL group, promoters of Nuziveedu Seeds and other companies, has set up a 1,20,000 metres a day textile processing unit at Chandolu in Guntur district.

While the company has commissioned the plant with an initial capacity of 1.2 lakh metres a day, it is proposed to double this capacity within next two years, with an additional outlay of Rs.250 crore.

Constello brand

NSL plans to market its branded apparel Constello catering to the domestic market from Diwali. The company in a statement mentioned that this is amongst large facilities in the South India equipped with latest technology and an efficient effluent treatment plant capable of recycling up to 90 per cent of the water usage.

NSL group, promoted by Mr Mandava Prabhakar Rao, has diversified presence in sectors such as seeds, cotton, power, textiles, sugar and infrastructure areas.

NSL is promoter of Nuziveedu Seeds Private Ltd, which has a turnover of Rs 600 crore.

 

[India101]

I think we may as well use this thread for everything happening in Guntur instead of just Industrial?

Tallest Buddha statue to be unveiled in Guntur soon

AMARAVATHI (GUNTUR): India's tallest Buddha statue, towering at 125 ft, will be unveiled soon in this pilgrim centre in Guntur district. The cement concrete statue will be installed in such a way that it will be visible from both the national highways of Vijayawada-Hyderabad and Howrah-Chennai.

With Vijayawada-Guntur-Mangalagiri-Tenali Urban Development Authority (UDA) expressing its desire to complete the works, the prestigious project would soon become a reality. Till now, an amount of Rs 1.7 crore was spent. While the work on the Buddha structure has been completed, finishing touches and work on the massive pedestal, on which the statue stands, remains to be done. Sources said another Rs 40-50 lakh is needed to complete the project, which was conceived by then deputy director of social welfare R Mallikarjuna Rao in 2004, on a five-acre site on the banks of Krishna river.

"We have decided to finish the pending works on the monolithic statue," confirmed UDA vice-chairman Vijayakumar. He said a theme park would be developed in front of the statue for which UDA has requested the district administration to allocate an 18-acre land.

The statue was designed by incorporating features from all the 50 types of Buddhist sculptures from 145 major heritage sites all over India. The essence of Buddhist teachings found in 24 chapters and 424 stanzas were also carved on 200 panels in the main hall of `dhyana mandiram'. It was a gigantic plan where Rao wanted to recreate every panel of the Amaravathi mahastupa (constructed over 500 years ago), which were stored in various museums in London, Chennai, New Delhi and Kolkata, to make visitors get a feel of the beauty and intricacy of the Amaravathi school of sculpture.

Eight 20-ft Ashoka pillar replicas are the main attraction all around the statue. Different dome structures modelled on those located at Dhoulagiri and Amaravathi, sculptures of Ajantha and Ellora, besides Guntupalli have been constructed over the eight entrances to the main hall.

Sources said the work on the massive statue was to have been completed within three years but got delayed after Mallikarjuna Rao was transferred from the district. Also, stories were doing the rounds that the project officials deliberately included a seminar hall and 20 luxury suites for international Buddhist tourists apart from an international Buddhist study centre to cash in on the grants.

The Dalai Lama, who visited the place during Kalachakra, donated Rs 30 lakh and promised to provide 300 volumes of Buddhist literature to develop it as an international Buddhist study centre.

 

[World8115]

^^ The photos of the Buddha statue site - http://www.aptemplesinfo.com/amaravati%20buddha%20statue%20photos_gunturtemples%20aptemples.html

 

[Ajay C]

Sahay lays foundation stone of tourism project in Guntur dist

http://ibnlive.in.com/generalnewsfeed/news/sahay-lays-foundation-stone-of-tourism-project-in-guntur-dist/643662.html

Union Minister for Tourism, Subodh Kant Sahay today laid the foundation stone of the Rs 5 crore Suryalanka Tourism Project in Baptla in Guntur district. The project comprises a children's park and swimming pool, among other things. Speaking on the occasion, Sahay said that the government was determined to give a boost to the tourism sector, as "tourism provides employment opportunities". Union Minister of State for textiles, Panabaka Lakshmi, who was also present, said coastal roads connecting Baptla with Nizamapatnam and Vadarevu were needed. Baptla MLA G Venkata Kumar, state excise Minister M V Ramana Rao and Chirala MLA, A Krishna Moham too were present.

 

[jpratikra]

Vanpic project gets AP nod

The controversial Vadarevu and Nizampatnam Ports Industrial Corridor project has come out of a long hibernation and has got the go-ahead from the top brass of the administration.

The government has approved the ‘detailed project report’ of Vadarevu port to be built as part of the Vanpic project in the coastal districts of Guntur and Prakasam.

The infrastructure and investment department issued orders approving the Rs 2,500-crore port allowing the concessionaire to go in for the crucial financial closure.

Though two ports have to be built as part of the MoU with the government, the concessionaire will first build Vadarevu as there is a delay in environmental clearance for the Nizampatnam port.

The company also urged the government to expedite allotment of 2,000 acres for building the port. The government has already agreed to make the allotment but kept it on hold seeking details of land utilisation and the industrial and IT pr-ojects the company intended to rope in. The project ran into controversy when the Opposition parties, in particular the TDP, objected to the acquisition of more than 10,000 acres for the project.

Following the death of the then CM Dr Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy, there was resistance to the project from within the Congress too because of the business association of the concessionaire, Mr N. Prasad of Matrix Enport and Mr Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy, the late CM’s son. Mr Prasad investing in Mr Jaganmohan’s media group drew the attention of the income-tax department.

Amidst speculations that the government might cancel the project, the promoters moved quickly to get the detailed project report approved.

“With the formal approval of the DPR, the technical closure of the project is achieved,” an official said, adding that the company would now approach financial institutions for funds.
http://www.deccanchronicle.com/channels/cities/hyderabad/vanpic-project-gets-ap-nod-241

 

[s.yogendra]

Guntur to get Olympic standard swimming pool

Good news for swimmers of the tobacco city of Andhra Pradesh – Guntur, as it is all set to acquire a 50-metre pool at the existing Rajendranagar complex, according to Anjani Srikanth Reddy, a member of Guntur District Swimming Association here on Thursday.

The pool will also have a gymnasium”.

read more: http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-andhrapradesh/article2680058.ece

 

[Gudavalli]

Guntur Running Room receives shield​

The Running Room in Guntur has been awarded Railway Minister's Shield for the Best Running Room in Indian Railways.

South Central Manager (SCR) General Manager G.N. Asthana and Guntur Divisional Railway Manager Anand Mathur received the shield and Rs 75,000 cash prize from Railway Minister Mukul Roy in a function held at Delhi during the 57th Railway Week celebrations.

The SCR has bagged 7 out of 19 shields awarded by the Railway Ministry for efficiency in performance, according to a press release by Senior Divisional Commercial Manager M. Shyam Sunder Rao.

 

[Gudavalli]

Potential seen for setting up 30 spice parks​

Guntur chillies park to be ready in 2 months

HYDERABAD, MAY 9:
Spices Board sees a potential to set up 25-30 spices parks in different parts of the country. “Each park will have export potential of Rs 500 crore. This will help us achieve export of spices worth Rs 30,000 crore by 2020,” Dr G.K. Vidyashankar, Deputy Director (Marketing) of Spices Board, told Business Line.

These parks would give a common platform for farmers, traders and exporters to accumulate quality produce in large quantities, while conforming to international standards. He said that it was time to diversify the product portfolio and look at opportunities in pharmaceuticals and neutraceuticals to yield better incomes.

The Parks would come up at Chhindwara (Madhya Pradesh), Puttady (Kerala), Guntur (Andhra Pradesh), Sivaganga (Tamil Nadu), Jodhpur (Rajasthan), Mehsana (Gujarat), Kota (Rajasthan) and Guna (Madhya Pradesh).

The Spices Park in Guntur would be operational in two months. Coming up on 125 acres near Mydavolu village in Edlapadu mandal, it would have common processing, testing and certification facilities. It will have mass chilli-drying capacity of 10 tonnes a day.

“It will specialise in chillies. It will produce value-added commodities such as oil, oleoresins, curry powder and crushed chillies. This will help the board to monitor and guide farmers and exporters,” he said.

Dr Vidyashankar was here to address a seminar on value addition to Spices and marketing at Federation of Andhra Pradesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FAPCCI) on Wednesday.

 

[Gudavalli]

GMC to widen Brindavan Gardens Road​

Meeting with stakeholders and owners of residential and commercial properties convened

The Guntur Municipal Corporation has come up with a new proposal to widen the Main Road starting from Brindavan Garden Centre to Hanumayya Centre, a vital link road connecting the Lakshmipuram Main Road to Ring Road.

The existing road which is 60 metres wide is proposed for widening up to 80 metres.

GRANTS

Municipal Commissioner K. Sudhakar on Thursday convened a meeting with stakeholders and owners of residential and commercial properties on the premises of Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple, explained the reasons behind the proposed expansion in view of the futuristic needs of the city.

The Commissioner said that under the 13th Finance Plan, grants for laying of storm water drains on either side of the road have been released.

Once the drains are laid, it would be impossible to widen the road, Mr. Sudhakar reasoned.

The Commissioner said that 86 properties have been listed as the affected properties, which include four properties belonging to GMC.

The owners of residential and commercial properties on the other hand resisted the proposal, which was on the expected lines.

Some of them reasoned that the existing road with a width of 60 metres was meeting the needs of the people and was able to handle the flow of traffic. Moreover the compensation paid by the GMC hardly matched the present market value.

The Commissioner said that GMC was determined to widen the road. Properties owned by GMC would be demolished in the initial phase and in the next phase, notices would be served on owners of affected properties.

Deputy Commissioner Latif, pediatric surgeon Y. Nayudamma were present.

 

[Gudavalli]

Chettinad Cement commissions Karnataka plant​

Chettinad Cement's expansion plans are on track with the company commissioning a 2.5-million-tonne a year factory in Karnataka, said a senior executive in the company.

This plant, which was commissioned in the fourth quarter of 2011-12, paves the way for its entry into the western markets – North Karnataka and Maharashtra. The next phase of expansion will be in in Dachepalle, Guntur District, Andhra Pradesh, where a 3.5-million-tonne greenfield plant will come up.

Land acquisition is on and the approvals are under process. The company has entered into an agreement with the State Government for the project, the official said.

Speaking in the context of the company's proposed delisting from the stock exchanges, the official said the move will not in any way impact its expansion plans. The company has opted for internal accruals and bank debt to fund the projects.

The company, with an annual cement production capacity of over 11.5 million tonnes (mt) across three units in Tamil Nadu, has announced plans to add nearly 15 mt over the next three years.

In Maharashtra, the company plans to set up a 2-mt a year cement grinding unit to facilitate market reach. It is also planning a grinding unit of a similar size in Visakhapatnam.

The company is also planning to add to its captive power generation with a 30-MW coal-based plant to add to its existing 105 MW. This will make it fully self-sufficient in power. The addition will be in place by March next year, the official said.

On the buyback of shares from the public as a prelude to the delisting, the official said the company estimates that this would cost over Rs 250 crore. The public shareholding at over 11 per cent is about 44 lakh shares. The exact pricing will be done through a reverse book building process, the official said.

 

[Gudavalli]

GMC to offer M.Ch neurosurgery course​

The Guntur Medical College (GMC) has been permitted by Medical Council of India (MCI) to offer M.Ch Neurosurgery course from the academic session of 2012-13.

The MCI’s Board of Governors has made a recommendation to that effect and issued a Letter of Intent.

The GMC will start offering the specialization course initially with an intake of two seats per year, according to a press by Principal K.S. Vara Prasad.

It may be noted that the GMC was recently given the nod for offering M.Ch courses in urology and paediatric surgery.

 

[Gudavalli]

Traffic maze compounds woes of motorists​

In the absence of a comprehensive traffic management plan, the woes of motorists in Guntur were being compounded. For the commuters entering Guntur from the BR Stadium, the confusion starts right away.

Vehicles passing through the Mahatma Gandhi Marg, or the main road are being caught in a maze of traffic at vital junctions.

The Main Road, hub of commercial shopping complexes, often presents a picture of chaos during peak hours.

The road has been widened to 80 feet, but that has not reduced the traffic hassles in any manner. A lone traffic junction opposite Leela Mahal is not of much help.

In the absence of a comprehensive traffic management plan, the woes of motorists in Guntur were being compounded. For the commuters entering Guntur from the BR Stadium, the confusion starts right away. In the absence of a road divider, the vehicles heading towards Bus Station almost come close to bumping into vehicles passing through the main road.

It’s not getting better on the other side of the road either as vehicles would have to pass through the stretch of road made narrower as worn out vehicles lay strewn all over at Maya Bazaar.

The situation becomes worse as the vehicle inches towards Chandana Bros traffic junction. The four road junction is a picture of confusion during the day when vehicles coming in from Kothapet criss cross each other. The presence of lone traffic constable to control the heavy flow of traffic is hardly justified.

Absence of proper traffic management and planning system has become the curse of the town. The road junctions are badly planned and have been designed for lesser traffic. The statues have become another headache in planning road junctions.

Key junctions identified

However, the traffic woes should ease in future as the Traffic Police and the Guntur Municipal Corporation have identified 11 key junctions. “We have prepared junction improvement plans for the 11 junctions. We will be undertaking joint inspections with the Superintendent of Police, Guntur Urban, soon,’’ Municipal Commissioner K. Sudhakar told The Hindu on Tuesday.

 

[Gudavalli]

Installed president of Rotary Club of Guntur​

Mr. Prakash, and his team comprising of K.V. Bhaskara Rao and Cherukuri Srinivasa Rao as secretary and treasurer were installed by district governor, RI District 3150, T.V.R. Murti.

M.V. Prakash, a local industrialist, was installed as the president of Rotary Club of Guntur at a colourful ceremony held at Gottipati Kalyana Mandapam here on Sunday evening.

Mr. Prakash, and his team comprising of K.V. Bhaskara Rao and Cherukuri Srinivasa Rao as secretary and treasurer were installed by district governor, RI District 3150, T.V.R. Murti.

The Rotary Club of Guntur, chartered in 1943, is a member of Rotary International district 3,150 and is one of the oldest clubs in the country.

District governor elect Ch. Hari Krishna, assistant governor Mattupalli Sunitha, regional secretary Thomas Sebastian and past district governor T. Vijendra Rao were present. Mr. Prakash, who has served in various capacities in the district, pledged that he would continue the good work done by his predecessors in executing matching grants project, extending support to students and women and contributing to the Rotary International’s effort to foster global peace.

‘Motivate the young’

Mr. Murti urged the new governing body to execute service projects and motivate more number of young leaders to join the Rotary’s family.

Past president of Rotary Club of Guntur Ramana Yashaswi, past secretary Lakshmi Narayana and treasurer GNV Sasi Bhushan were also present.

New members were inducted at the end of the installation ceremony.

 

[Gudavalli]

State level bankers' committee slashes kharif loans for farmers​

GUNTUR: In what could come as a shock to the beleaguered farming community, the state-level bankers' committee (SLCB) has revised the scale of finance for agriculture crops by slashing loans. The decision of the SLBC sparked off a row as the farmers are getting ready for cultivation following a good amount of rainfall in the coastal areas. Strangely, its decision to reduce the loan came at a time when the prices of fertilizers and seed have gone up steeply.

As per the latest guidelines, a paddy farmer would get a loan of Rs 22,000 per acre as against the previous Rs 27,000. "The bankers should have raised the loan amount to Rs 30,000 keeping in view the rising input costs," a farm expert pointed out. The chilli farmer would now get anywhere between Rs 30,000-45000 per acre as against the previous amount of Rs 65,000-Rs 70,000, which amounts to 40-50% reduction in the loan grant.

The cotton farmer was also hit as the finance was slashed to Rs 25,000 from the last year's Rs 38,000-40,000. "It is outrageous to reduce the loan amount when the farmers are finding it difficult to meet the investment cost," said former Rajya Sabha member Yalamanchili Sivaji.

The price of DAP fertilizer which spiraled to Rs 1050 from Rs 650 per bag left the farming wincing. "The bankers have reduced the loan to Rs 22,000 when we are expecting to get Rs 40,000 per acre," lamented N Narasimha Rao, a paddy farmer of Krosure.

Lead district manager M Ramireddy said that they would request the state committee to have a relook into the decision. "The SLBC seems to have taken the scale of finance that was being extended to turmeric into account for reducing the pattern for all the crops," he told TOI. The turmeric farmer used to get around Rs 80,000 per acre in the past and fall in the market prices forced the bankers to reduce the finance to Rs 50,000 from this year.

 

[Gudavalli]

Me n Moms unveils first franchise outlet in India​

In the celebratory spirit of the joy of parenting, Me n Moms, the fastest growing homegrown retail kids wear and accessories chain launched its first franchise store in the country.
Located in Guntur, the store is spread across 1000 sq.ft, and exhibits a dedicated range of kids wear and accessories under seven categories along with maternity care products for pre-natal and post-natal care. The store aims to become a ‘one-stop destination’ for both mothers and their children.

Mr. Naresh Khatar, Chairman and Managing Director, Me n Moms, said, “Keeping in mind the fact that the Indian market for Infant’s apparel is registering a healthy annual growth rate of more than 15 per cent and India is poised to be one of the largest consumer markets, a lot remains to be tapped in the organized retail space thus paving opportunities for franchise models as well. We are happy to announce our first franchise owned and operated store in Guntur. “

“We have chosen this route to grow faster and keep ourselves abreast with the ever changing retail scenario. We have arrived at selecting this city for pursuing our franchise model, post careful evaluation of markets. We are looking at replicating this model across India for our brand.”

The products at Me n Moms range from footwear, furniture and toys to baby play-time and bath-time accessories. It also offers products from several other big brands in the same category under one roof as well as tailor-made products for expecting and new mothers. The products are a combination of quality and affordability par excellence that aim to promote the ‘joy of parenting’.

The company currently has a turnover of Rs 80 crore and aims to reach the Rs.300 crore mark within the next five years. It currently has 12 exclusive stores (Lucknow: 1, Hyderabad: 3, Mumbai: 3, Noida: 1, Pune: 3, Nasik: 1).

In the celebratory spirit of the joy of parenting, Me n Moms has been offering baby care and mother care products for the past twenty years to quality-conscious Indian consumer.