JSW Steel Plant will help bring Rayalaseema out of backwardness, says A.P. CM Naidu

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu has stated that the much-awaited JSW Rayalaseema Steel Plant will become the lifeline of the Rayalaseema region and bring it out of backwardness and poverty.

Mr. Naidu launched the plant’s heavy section mill concrete flooring work at Sunnapurallapalli in Jammalamadugu constituency of Kadapa district on Friday. He also virtually inaugurated the Jindal Industrial Park in Vizianagaram.

Addressing the gathering, he called the project the beginning of a new era that would showcase a developed Rayalaseema to the world. “The perennially backward and impoverished region is now transforming into a horticultural hub, a gold mine, an advanced manufacturing hub,” he said.

The plant spread across 1100 acres is developed by JSW Andhra Pradesh Steel Limited with a total investment outlay of ₹16,350 crore, spread across two phases.

The initial outgo involves ₹4,500 crore, followed by an additional ₹11,850 crore. The green steel facility will utilise scrap-based Electric Arc Furnace technology, powered entirely by green energy sources, to reduce its carbon footprint.

Apart from road, rail and port connectivity, Mr. Naidu promised to lay a dedicated pipeline from Gandikota reservoir for a distance of 15 km to supply 2 tmc ft water every year for its operational requirement.

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Recalling his efforts in bringing Kia Motors to Anantapur district during his previous stint, Mr. Naidu explained how the project subsequently bolstered the local economy.

“This steel plant will do to Kadapa district what Kia Motors did to Anantapur,” Mr. Naidu said. He also promised that the steel factory would create local jobs to the youth contemplating migrating to nearby towns and cities in search of employment.

Mr. Naidu announced that the State had bagged investments of ₹11 lakh crore, projected to create nine lakh jobs, including ArcelorMittal’s steel plant in Nakkapalli worth ₹1.35 lakh crore. Similarly, JSW’s upcoming ‘Space City’ and the proposed ‘Drone City’ in Tirupati district would become game changers in their respective domains, he said, hinting at the proposal to lay the foundation stone for ‘Global Horticulture Hub’ in Madanapalle by August 15.

Turning to the victims of Gandikota project, he offered to settle the much-delayed rehabilitation and resettlement package at the earliest.

Union Minister of State for Steel and Heavy Industries Bhupathiraju Srinivasa Varma, Ministers S. Savitha, Gottipati Ravikumar, local legislator and Government whip C. Adinarayana Reddy and JSW Steel Chairman and Managing Director Sajjan Jindal were among those present.

Earlier, the Chief Minister offered prayers at the famous Bala Tripura Sundari Sametha Sundareswara Swamy temple at Peddandlur village.