The state-owned Andhra Pradesh Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (APIIC) has drawn up plans to spend Rs 125 crore on modernising the basic infrastructure facilities in over 300 industrial estates across the state during the current financial year. | |
| This move is part of the corporation's ongoing efforts to offer better infrastructure facilities to upcoming industries besides the existing ones, according to BP Acharya, vice-chairman and managing director of APIIC. |
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| Of the proposed expenditure, the corporation would spend Rs 50 crore through the newly-established environment management fund, which would cover steps that reduces ground water and environmental pollution in and around the industrial estates by providing affluent treatment plants and other steps. |
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| "We are now giving more importance to ensure clean water and cleaner environment to industrial clusters operating in our industrial estates," Acharya told Business Standard. |
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| The state ranks second in the country in terms of number of industrial estates established by the APIIC though it is yet to catch up with the more industrialised states like Tamil Nadu in terms of manufacturing activity. |
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| According to Acharya, the corporation has set up two more funds "" infrastructure upgradation fund with Rs 50 crore and an annual maintenance fund with Rs 25 crore "" to take up modernisation of infrastructure facilities in older industrial estates besides taking up maintenance works to see that industries in these facilities do not suffer on account of bad roads or lack of basic amenities. |
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| Most of these industrial estates have long been suffering from lack of adequate facilities, often leading to the delays in starting operations by individual companies and complaints from the existing units. |
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| APIIC's focus on improving the facilities in the existing industrial estates comes in the wake of huge plans under way to promote many more industrial clusters by providing basic infrastructure like land, roads and power. It has developed a huge land bank of over 25,000 acre to meet the industrial requirements for the next 5-6 years. |
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| "The corporation earned over Rs 1,000 crore this year through sale of plots and gave it to the government. We will be having close to Rs 600 crore reserves at our disposal for further land acquisition and develop infrastructure at identified locations in the state," Acharya said. |
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| APIIC is also implementing ERP solutions to bring transparency to its activities and has earmarked Rs 1 crore to provide training to its personnel, he said. |
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| It is also launching mobile clinics at industrial clusters, including Autocluster at Vijayawada, to provide free check-ups to workers apart from spreading AIDS awareness from May 1, 2007. |
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