PM to lay stone for NTPC-BHEL project on Sept 1

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will arrive at Tirupati on September 1 to lay the foundation stone for the NTPC-BHEL joint venture power plant manufacturing project at Mannavaram village near Srikalahasthi. The Prime Minister will also lay the foundation stone for the Tirupati international airport.

Two years ago, the Ministry of Civil Aviation had decided to upgrade the existing airport at Tirupati to an international one by constructing a new integrated terminal building encompassing all modular facilities and extending the existing runway by 984 metres.

The Airports Authority of India has agreed to bear the capital expenditure of Rs 300 crore, while the state government provides the required land of about 718 acre. The state government has handed over advance possession of land totalling 293.05 acres located in Renigunta.

“The NTPC-BHEL project would be completed by 2013-14,” chief minister K Rosaiah said on Sunday, while directing the officials concerned to lay a four-lane road at Mannavaram and connect it to the nearest national highway. The project will enable setting up of more than 400 ancillary units.

Rosaiah would apprise the Prime Minister during his one-day visit to Tirupati of the initiatives taken by the government to sustain the rapid economic growth achieved by the state. He will also brief Singh about the contribution of Andhra Pradesh to the Food Security Mission.

Meanwhile, the Centre has approved the development of leather clusters at seven locations in the state – Jinkunta, Ghanpur Station (Warangal), Mallemadugu (Khammam), Armoor (Nizamabad), Mandamarri (Adilabad), GD Nellore, Chittoor and Rukmapur (Karimnagar) – with a total outlay of Rs 84 crore. Of this, Rs 67.20 crore will be provided by the Centre as a grant and the balance of Rs 16.80 crore will be released by the state government, a press release said today.