Foundation stone for Arcelor Mittal-Nippon Steel plant likely to be laid in Anakapalli district in October
Kadapa plant
Apart from this, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu is keeping in direct touch with the Jindal Group to give a tangible shape to the steel plant in Kadapa district, which is to be established in compliance with the A.P. State Reorganization Act of 2014, but has been hanging fire for over a decade now.
As far as the AM&NS steel plant is concerned, up to 6,000 acres of land has already been acquired and pollution clearance for it is expected to come in September, Industries & Commerce Minister T.G. Bharat has said, while claiming that some major players in the steel sector (other than AM&NS) are exploring the opportunities to invest in the State.
In an exclusive interview with The Hindu on Saturday, Mr. Bharat said top priority was given to the establishment of the AM&NS plant, and revival of the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (VSP), which achieved a turnaround due to the financial package given by the Central government, after tottering on the brink of disinvestment.
More in the pipeline
On the other hand, the government has, in recent months, cleared multiple proposals for the establishment of industries with investments ranging from ₹100 crore to ₹5,000 crore. They are in various stages, and a good number of them are in the solar power, pharma and semiconductor sectors. Steps are taken for the development of an industrial corridor between Lepakshi and Orvakal.
Mr. Bharat said that Hyderabad-based Skyroot Aerospace, which had sent India's first privately built rocket into space in late 2022, expressed keenness to set up a testing facility at Sriharikota. Besides, some big semiconductor manufacturing units were in the process of being established by South Korean and Taiwanese companies.
A.P. Industrial Development Policy (4.0) 2024-29, A.P. Food Processing Policy (4.0) 2024-29, A.P. MSME & EDP (4.0) 2024-29, and A.P. Private Industrial Parks Policy (4.0) 2024-29 laid a comprehensive framework that was needed to transform the State into a progressive industrial destination.
The speed with which businesses were being facilitated was helping Andhra Pradesh in clinching big deals, Mr. Bharat said, adding that several major projects were in the pipeline and the State would retain its leadership in Ease-of-Doing Business rankings.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
40 minutes ago
- Time of India
ICE cars steal sales show so far this year, EVs in very slow lane
The electric dream is alive, with glitzy EV launches and a loud government push, but India's bumper-to-bumper traffic remains largely fossil-fuelled. Nine out of 10 cars sold in the first half of 2025 run on internal combustion engines (ICEs). While the government has set an ambitious target for electric vehicles to make up 30% of all passenger vehicle sales by 2030, carmakers are hedging their bets, underscoring the wide gap between policy ambitions and market reality. Maruti Suzuki , India's largest carmaker, sold 87% ICE vehicles - those run on petrol, diesel and CNG - in the January-June period, with hybrid and mild hybrid EVs making up the remaining 13%, data collated by market researcher Jato Dynamics showed. The ICE share of Mahindra & Mahindra, which currently sells three EV models in the country and has several more lined up, was 93% during the period while Kia posted near 100% ICE sales. Clearly, the electric transition remains aspirational for most players, as consumers stay anchored to familiar, affordable technologies and remain reluctant to make the switch. "This is the nature of transition-it's gradual, uncertain, and complex," said a senior official of a Delhi-based car company who requested not to be identified. By 2030, however, electric and hybrid vehicles will account for at least 30-40% of the market - a big leap from the current under 10%, he added. Even Tata Motors, the market leader in electric cars, sold 88% ICE vehicles in the first half. A spokesperson said the firm's multi-powertrain strategy spanning petrol, diesel, CNG, and electric is "about giving consumers the power of choice while preparing for future shifts." Only two manufacturers bucked the trend. Toyota, with a diversified approach, saw 55% of sales come from combustion engines, balanced by 29% hybrids and 16% mild hybrids. JSW MG Motor went all-in on electric, targeting urban buyers willing to pay premium prices. As a result, 81% of its sales came from battery electric vehicles (BEVs). The government is playing its part, continuing to offer FAME II (Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Electric Vehicles) subsidies and pushing stricter emission norms. Yet, according to Ravi Bhatia , president of Jato Dynamics, price sensitivity and "charging anxiety" among consumers keep EVs largely confined to metro corridors. India's automotive landscape is not just vast, but deeply varied. Urban buyers prioritise convenience, while rural customers focus on affordability and durability. Some regions are seeing growing EV infrastructure, while others still struggle with basic electrification. That's why carmakers aren't putting all their eggs in one basket, Bhatia explained. CNG is gaining popularity in urban and semi-urban areas for its lower running costs. Diesel has lost its popularity but continues to dominate high-mileage segments such as SUVs. Petrol remains the most widely accessible fuel. Meanwhile, EVs are making quiet but steady inroads as infrastructure begins to improve. India's auto market could reach 7.5 million units by 2030, with electric and hybrid vehicles expected to capture a 30-40% share. Tata Motors has committed ₹33,000-35,000 crore toward its passenger and EV businesses from FY26 to FY30 to drive product-led growth, including seven all-new nameplates and 23 model updates across ICE, CNG and electric segments. As BS7 emission norms loom and global supply chains shift toward electrification, manufacturers are carefully balancing immediate consumer demand with long-term regulatory pressures. The question is no longer if the transition will happen, but which companies will survive the journey, industry executives said.
Scroll.in
an hour ago
- Scroll.in
Delhi court declares UK-based arms dealer Sanjay Bhandari fugitive economic offender
A Delhi court on Saturday declared United Kingdom-based arms dealer Sanjay Bhandari a fugitive economic offender in a case pertaining to tax evasion and money laundering, reported The Indian Express. The order was passed by Additional Sessions Judge Sanjeev Aggarwal of Tis Hazari court on an application moved by the Enforcement Directorate under the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act, according to The Hindu. It will enable the Enforcement Directorate to confiscate Bhandari's assets worth crores of rupees. Bhandari is accused of defrauding the Indian income tax authorities between July 1, 2015, and February 7, 2017, by submitting two tax returns in which he deliberately hid details about his foreign assets and foreign income. As a resident of India at the time, the 63-year-old was obligated to pay tax on all his global assets and income. In 2016, Bhandari fled India for London, despite a lookout notice against him. In October 2016, a case was registered against him under the Official Secrets Act after confidential defence ministry documents were recovered from his residence during an Income Tax department raid. The Enforcement Directorate had told a Delhi court in April that a court in the UK has rejected its appeal for Bhandari's extradition. In its application to declare the arms dealer a fugitive economic offender, the central agency claimed that the UK court's order had no bearing on Indian proceedings against Bhandari, reported ANI. Bhandari opposed the application, stating that his stay in London is legal, as the London High Court had refused his extradition. His counsel, Senior Advocate Maninder Singh, claimed that the Enforcement Directorate's plea was unclear, improperly filed, and did not meet the legal standards under the Fugitive Offenders Act. On Saturday, the court stated it was 'satisfied that Bhandari, against whom an warrant of arrest has been issued…has left India so as to avoid criminal prosecution', reported The Indian Express. 'Further, this court is satisfied that the total value of the schedule offence is `100 crore or more,' said Aggarwal. He added that the 'extradition attempt may have failed, but it will not make the accused an angel or immune to prosecution for the violation of Indian laws'. Bhandari has alleged that he had faced 'undue harassment and pressure' from several enforcement agencies to 'compel him to give false statements against the political opponents of the government'. He fled India due to this 'harassment', he claimed. Besides tax evasion, Bhandari is also one of the accused in a case of alleged corruption in the procurement of Pilatus trainer aircraft in 2009. In June 2019, the Central Bureau of Investigation had filed a case against Bhandari and unknown officials of the Indian Air Force, Defence Ministry and Switzerland-based Pilatus Aircraft.
Indian Express
an hour ago
- Indian Express
Trump says US will start talks with China on TikTok deal this week
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday he will start talking to China on Monday or Tuesday about a possible TikTok deal. He said the United States 'pretty much' has a deal on the sale of the TikTok short-video app. 'I think we're gonna start Monday or Tuesday…talking to China, perhaps President Xi or one of his representatives, but we would we pretty much have a deal,' Trump told reporters on Air Force One. Last month, Trump extended to September 17 a deadline for China-based ByteDance to divest the U.S. assets of TikTok. A deal had been in the works this spring to spin off TikTok's U.S. operations into a new U.S.-based firm, majority-owned and operated by U.S. investors, but it was put on hold after China indicated it would not approve it following Trump's announcements of steep tariffs on Chinese goods. Trump said the United States will probably have to get a deal approved by China. When asked how confident he was that China would agree to a deal, he said, 'I'm not confident, but I think so. President Xi and I have a great relationship, and I think it's good for them. I think the deal is good for China and it's good for us.'
