Andhra Pradesh to Focus on "Speed of Doing Business" and AI Revolution, Says Nara Lokesh

Andhra Pradesh is shifting its focus from the ease of doing business to the speed of doing business, thanks to industry-friendly policies brought in by the current NDA government, according to Nara Lokesh, the state's minister for information technology (IT), electronics, and human resources development (HRD). Speaking at the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) southern region council seminar in Vijayawada, Lokesh emphasized that Andhra Pradesh, which missed out on IT opportunities in the early 2000s due to the focus on Hyderabad, will not repeat the mistake during the upcoming artificial intelligence (AI) revolution.

Lokesh announced plans to establish an AI university modeled after Hyderabad’s Indian School of Business (ISB). He invited industry leaders to take charge of developing the university’s curriculum and courses. "We will provide the land and policy framework, and I urge industry experts to harness the potential of AI to its fullest," he said.

The minister also revealed that Visakhapatnam will be a major hub for IT development, with numerous large-scale investments on the way. Over the next six months, significant announcements are expected regarding the state’s IT infrastructure. To foster smoother communication with investors, Lokesh said the state government will create a consultative forum where investors can directly address their concerns and requirements.

The Andhra Pradesh government aims to create 20 lakh jobs over the next five years, backed by infrastructure development, industry incentives, and a supportive ecosystem. Lokesh also criticized the previous YSRCP government for revoking power purchase agreements, which he said caused substantial financial losses for both the state and the country. He assured that the newly formed consultative forum will prevent such issues from recurring.

In response to the positive feedback and investment interest from seminar participants, Lokesh committed to setting up a dedicated wing within the economic development board (EDB) to ensure that existing investors receive the incentives they are entitled to.