Andhra Pradesh offers to set up special body for Japanese industrial park

HYDERABAD: Wooing investments from Japan, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu today offered to constitute a special authority for Japanese industrial park in the state.

On the fourth day of his Japan tour, the Chief Minister visited Isuzu Motors, Mayekawa Manufacturing Company, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) and held meetings with their senior officials, a state government release said here.

Isuzu wants to establish a manufacturing unit for pick-up trucks in India and quoted its executive vice-president and director Masanori Katayama as saying in the release: "Sri City (located along the border of Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu) could be a good destination for us. The new production site will attract other accessories related to the automobile industry. Many suppliers will come."

Naidu said he is planning to introduce Japanese language in one of Andhra Pradesh's universities.

Chairman of Mayewaka Manufacturing Yoshiro Tanaka said his company is keen on working with Andhra Pradesh in establishing cold chains in the state's mega food parks, adding, it could provide refrigeration compressors used in cold chains and hospitals.

"Together, we can prepare an action plan for this. Since Andhra Pradesh has a strong agriculture base, our collaboration in cold chains will prove fruitful," Naidu said in his response.

"Given that Andhra Pradesh is a top market for marine exports, mango pulp industry, your cold chain technology will benefit our mega food parks," he said.

The Chief Minister invited JICA to AP and offered to set up a special authority for Japanese industrial park, the statement said.

JICA's senior vice-president Hideaki Domichi said they are now focusing on Bangalore-Chennai Industrial Corridor and also on Krishnapatnam Node.

"We have strong interest in Andhra Pradesh," he said. The Chief Minister said Andhra Pradesh has a good land bank and has no issues with water and power.

"Clearances will be faster. We want to become the best investment destination in India," he said.

Naidu sought JICA's cooperation in developing industrial nodes and road network, connecting all ports in the state. The Chief Minister requested JICA to set up an office in Andhra Pradesh.

In a meeting at JBIC, the Chief Minister said Singapore is working on a master plan for building the capital city (for Andhra Pradesh). They (Singapore) are comfortable (working) with Japan).

Naidu said he plans to make Andhra Pradesh a logistics hub.

"We will give single-desk clearances, an industrial township authority," he said, asking JBIC for ideas to work with Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO) and other private corporations.

To this, JBIC Governor and CEO Hiroshi Watanabe said if private investors come forward (to invest in Andhra Pradesh), JBIC will finance them.

JBIC can help the state in inter-city connectivity, water treatment in urban areas of the state and it can fund Japanese private companies that are interested to invest in these projects, he said.

JBIC added that they can do joint operations with banks in India.

"We are in talks with SBI and ICICI," Watanabe said. The Chief Minister said that JBIC has a "great opportunity" in the infrastructure sector in financing airports and ports, among others.