Andhra Pradesh’s ambitious development agenda faces a significant external challenge as the United States has imposed a steep 60% tariff on Indian shrimp exports, a move that could severely disrupt the State’s aquaculture industry.
Addressing the Collectors’ Conference on Monday, Special Chief Secretary of Agriculture Budithi Rajasekhar warned that shrimp farmers and exporters are under mounting pressure and urged district-level interventions to mitigate the impact. He noted that nearly 40% of shrimp cultivation costs are tied to feed and suggested measures to reduce expenses by at least 6%. He also raised concerns about rising antibiotic use, calling for strict monitoring to protect the credibility of Andhra’s exports in global markets.
Industry Day
Alongside agriculture, the State is making strong industrial and infrastructural strides. Industries Secretary Dr. N. Yuvaraj announced that every Tuesday will now be observed as “Industry Day,” modelled on grievance redressal programmes, to expedite project approvals and resolve bottlenecks. Since June 2024, 122 projects worth ₹10.06 lakh crore have been cleared, with defence and aerospace clusters planned across Vizag, NTR, Kurnool, Anantapur, and Prakasam districts.
Pothole-free roads
Infrastructure development is being fast-tracked. Roads and Buildings Special Chief Secretary M.T. Krishna Babu has set a December 2025 deadline to make all State roads pothole-free. So far, 19,000 km have been repaired at a cost of ₹860 crore, with another ₹500 crore sanctioned. Trials with Ecofix road material, as well as experiments with plastic and steel slag roads, are underway to ensure durability.
Solar revolution
On the energy front, Andhra Pradesh has launched a massive “solar revolution.” Chief Secretary Vijayanand announced plans to solarise 2.93 lakh agricultural pump sets by March 2026, supported by rooftop solar expansion and tenders for over 1,100 MW capacity. Despite variability in renewables, he assured uninterrupted power supply alongside the fulfilment of all electricity subsidy commitments.
Tourism investments
In the services sector, Tourism and Housing Principal Secretary Ajay Jain unveiled plans to attract ₹50,000 crore in investments and create three lakh jobs by 2029. Tourist arrivals rose 17% over the past year, supported by initiatives such as the Cordelia Cruise from Visakhapatnam, tent cities in Araku, caravan parks, and hop-on hop-off buses.
Meanwhile, welfare delivery remains a parallel focus. Officials reported that more than ₹30,000 crore has already been disbursed under the State’s “Super Six” welfare schemes covering farmers, students, women, and tribals. Flagship programmes include Annadata Sukhibhava for farmers, Thalliki Vandanam for students, Deepam-2-2 for LPG access, Sthree Shakti free bus travel for women, and the expansion of Araku coffee cultivation.
Published – September 15, 2025 09:26 pm IST
